Launch ploughs into a paddy field

Passengers have disembarked safely from a launch that ran aground into a paddy field on the river bank on the Dhaka-Barisal route. The passenger-packed rivercraft, carrying 2,000 people, had apparently ‘losing its way’. Some passengers of Dhaka-bound launch ‘Dipraj’ got off to start for Dhaka on their own, as the accident site was near the Barisal city. Some others returned home, having failed to get any transport, said Barisal’s Kaunia Police Station OC Mahbubur Rahman. It was the last launch for Dhaka from Barisal city on Friday night. It was stuck on the shore till 10:00am on Saturday. Dipraj's Barisal office manager Neaz Morshed said, ‘A BIWTA (Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority) tugboat was supposed to arrive around 12noon to pull the launch back to the river from the paddy field.’ Police believe the river vessel lost its way due to poor visibility in the dark because of thick fog. The launch authorities, however, claimed the master had purposely steered the vessel to the bank, according to bdnews24.com.