Vessels still defy rules

Owners of such vessels, most of whom belong to ruling or opposition parties, thumb a government restriction on plying of small vessels in the routes during the season of storms from April to September, risking life of passengers.

More so, most of the vessels have no trained manpower and life saving equipment. Muscle power and political influences are their only assets, it was gathered from different sources.

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The vessels, built without approved designs, lack fitness certificates and many ply even without route permit. They have no life insurance or accident insurance for passengers.

The vessels have no fire fighting equipment, life buoy, mechanised wheel, wireless sets, first aid box and other emergency items. So they can not help passengers in any disastrous situation, particularly natural calamity.

According to BIWTA and other official sources, about 14,500 vessels ply the river routes without registration and route permit.

They said about 8,200 vessels plying inland river routes and another about 1,800 plying routes in the sea coasts have route permits with registration.

Usually, the owners of unregistered vessels do not want to register their vessels as those not built as per approved designs.

Building of a vessel according to government approved design involves more cost, they said.