According to the shipping department, 85 percent of the country’s inland waterway vessels are running without licence. According to media reports, there are currently over one lakh of such vessels in the country. Of them, only 15,850 are registered,
We fear there could be accidents on different river routes of the country if the government does not give utmost importance to ensuring security and convenience of the passengers and bring discipline in plying of water transports in the county’s river routes. Therefore, the authorities must conduct operations to deter and stop illegal water passenger vessel operators across the country.
All must keep in mind that nor'wester, cyclonic storm, heavy downpour or thundershowers accompanied by gusty or squally wind may occur anytime during this month. Hence, the government will have to take strict measures against owners of unlicensed and run-down water vessel.
As many people along with their families will start going their village homes from their respective metropolitan cities including capital Dhaka and district towns to celebrate the Eid-ul-Fitr with their near and dear ones, the shipping ministry will have to deploy necessary vigilance teams to monitor the overall situation of waterway sector to ensure passenger safe journey.
Building a strong taskforce
involving the naval police, coastguard
and BIWTA is necessary to
ensure safety on waterways during Eid
The government will have to take firm steps to fulfil its responsibility in order to ensure safety of the people on waterways. Some dishonest and greedy people are allegedly getting prepared to operate many unfit, faulty and unregistered water vessels ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr. The rundown water vessels are being painted in order to give them a new look before plying ahead of the Eid. Therefore, such overloaded rundown vessels may cause serious water vessel disasters anytime.
More than 3,735 people have been killed in 902 waterway accidents in the last 30 years, mainly due to unfit vessels and driver incompetence and carelessness. Besides, 926 people were injured and over 600 went missing.
Our country is enriched with about 24,00km of waterways which have been the common, traditional and cheaper mode of transportation for the people here. Many people along with their families will start going their village homes within three days.
Competitive attitudes among the workers of water transports to reach destinations early, inefficiency, desperateness, lack of training and awareness among workers, and not following rules while overtaking vessels are causing fatal disasters on waterways. There is no alternative but the monitoring process must be strengthened and if any negligence is found actions should taken in this regard.
Building a strong taskforce involving the naval police, coastguard and BIWTA is necessary to ensure safety on waterways during Eid. Homebound people, authorities and launch owners must follow the weather forecast to avert any disaster. Authorities must take special security measures to ensure the safety of homebound people on the waterways for the Eid.