Sixteen coastal and rights-based organisations called Thursday for instituting legal proceedings against all officials and agencies concerned who neglected their duties in keeping waterways free from risks, reports UNB.
Addressing a press conference at the National Press Club, representatives of the organisations also urged for decentralising the approval and monitoring system of vessels and their designs.
The rights bodies--Akash, Arpan, CDP, DOCAP, Graus, NBS, PRAN, Prantojon, PULS Bangladesh, Royal Bengal Foundation, Shapla Phool, SDO, Udayan Bangladesh, Safe Water Way Movement and COAST Trust--arranged the press conference on 'Irregularities and mismanagement are the main causes of accidents: Decentralise approval and monitoring system of the vessels.'
M Mujibul Haque Munir of COAST Trust presented the keynote paper.
Aminur Rasul Babul of the Safe Water Way Movement and M Mojammel Haque Chowdhury of the Passenger Welfare Association of Bangladesh, among others, were present at the press briefing.
Mujibul Haque in his keynote presentation said the recent incident of launch capsize is not an accident in anyway rather it is a consequence of frequent and continuous irregularities and mismanagement.
"The approval of Pinak-6 had expired. It was running with a special 'token' approval of 45 days and that also expired in April last," he said adding that it had the capacity of only 85 passengers and it was carrying about 300 passengers.
Aminur Rasul Babul said strong legal proceedings should be issued against the corrupt officials. "We should have a proper database of all kinds and number of vessels operating in the country immediately," he added.
Mustafa Kamal said they have noticed that precautionary measures and resources to response immediately after the accident and to make the rescue operation in time and properly were very much inadequate.
"We have only 25 divers. The disaster management department must be incorporated during these types of disaster. Corrupt officials have centralised the approval and monitoring systems of the vessels only to ensure their bribed income," he said.
They also placed a number of recommendations that include bringing the faulty launch builders and their designers under law and order and ensuring punishment for the negligence of duties as it causes huge deaths.
They also demanded immediate withdrawal of unfit vessels and ensuring the operation of vessels with experienced drivers.
