Mobile court fines launch overloaded with passengers

2 December 2009, 17:00 PM

Our Correspondent, Patuakhali

A mobile court yesterday fined a double-decker launch Tk 48,000 on Charfashon-Dhaka route at Najirpur launch ghat under Lalmohon upazila in Bhola on charge of taking passengers beyond its capacity. Babar Ali Mir, UNO of Lalmohon who conducted the court said, the capacity of the launch was 405 as per the survey certificate. But when it reached launch ghat at about 7pm, the court found 705 passengers inside the vessel. Meanwhile, a correspondent from Madaripur reports: Even after the tragic Bhola launch accident, scores of river vessels are still plying on different routes passengers several times more than their capacity. BIWTA sources said, people who went home to celebrate Eid have been returning to their work places in Dhaka and adjoining areas. Eighty-two launches, more than 300 speed boats and about 50 engine driven trawlers are crossing 16 kilometre on the Padma on Mawa-Kawrakandi route mostly carrying passengers beyond their capacity, they said. Except for the launches, most other river vehicles even do not have valid permission for plying, the sources pointed out. Several launch owners and workers said, river vessels including trawlers are plying with excess passengers due to massive irregularities by the port officials. Port official Babu Lal Baidya however denied the allegation. "I cannot take effective steps due to manpower crisis and for fear of attack by the locals. I have asked the administration to check overloading but did not get any response," he said.