Teenager Missing After Falling From Launch Roof in Barisal; Service Suspended for Safety Violations
Photo Collected
A 17-year-old youth went missing Tuesday morning after falling from the roof of a passenger launch into the Kalabadar River in the Mehendiganj upazila of Barishal. The victim, identified as Md. Rana, was traveling with his parents to return home to Bakerganj following a wedding ceremony in the Jangalia union.
Witnesses reported that the incident occurred at approximately 7:30 a.m. near the Char-Paschim launch terminal. While the vessel was en route to Barishal, Rana slipped from the roof and fell into the water. Due to his inability to swim and the strength of the river’s current, he vanished almost immediately. Local residents attempted an initial search using fishing nets and boats but were hampered by the turbulent conditions.
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Emergency response teams, including personnel from the Kaliganj Naval Police and a diving unit from the Fire Service and Civil Defense, were promptly dispatched to the scene to initiate a search and rescue operation. As of Tuesday, joint efforts by authorities and local fishermen to locate the youth were ongoing.
In response to the accident, the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) has suspended the operational schedule of the vessel, identified as the ML Lima Express-4. In a formal notice issued to the vessel’s owner, Abdus Salam Mollah, the BIWTA cited a direct violation of maritime safety regulations regarding the prohibition of passenger transport on launch roofs. Officials emphasized that the accident occurred specifically because the vessel’s operator allowed passengers to occupy the roof, leading to the immediate revocation of its sailing permissions.
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