Bangladesh
Cyclone Sitrang Cyclone Sitrang: 13 ships capsize in Padma river
Own Correspondent, Dhaka, Oct 27: Thirteen boats have sunk in Padma river after Cyclone Sitrang hit Shibchar in Madaripur. The owners are trying to rescue them with local divers. However, neither the BIWTA nor the fire service started rescue operations. It is claimed that several crores of rupees have been lost in this incident. But no one is missing in it. The accident could have been avoided if the sunken boats were kept in the channel of Kanthalbari ghat, the locals said.
According to local sources, MV Salsabin with 600 metric tons of urea fertilizer, MV Kanthalbari with 500 metric tons of fertilizer, MV Kanthalbari with 6,500 sacks of Aman cement anchored in Chinakhal area of Madbarchar union of Shivchar of Padma river and Mollakandi area of Charjanajat union were hit by strong winds late on Monday night under the influence of Cyclone Sitrang. Sajeda Paribahan-2, Alif-3 with 9,000 bags of Seven Ring Cement, Samir & Mohammad with 10,000 bags of Akiz Cement, MV RN Enterprise with 9,500 bags of Fresh Cement, MV Mohammadia-4 with 8,500 bags of Premier Cement, 6,000 bags of Bashundhara. At least 13 ships including MV Bashundhara-28 with Veer Cement sank. The cargo information of 8 ships was available but the cargo information of the remaining 5 was not available. On receiving the information, a team of naval police visited the spot.
Samir Hossain, the owner of Akiz Cement, said that the cargo worth several crores of rupees was damaged. We have been working with local divers since Wednesday (October 26) morning to find the vessel. The goods seem to have been destroyed for the time being. Only if you can raise the ship now.
Local resident Amir Hossain Molla said, where the boats sank, it is the bank of Padma river. Kanthalbari Ghat channel is two kilometers away from here. If the ships were kept in that channel then there would not be such a big loss. Mehrul Islam, an audit officer of a group of companies, said that our cement worth about Tk 60 lakh has been submerged in water. They are all ruined.
Shibchar Naval Police Officer-in-Charge (OC) Md. Shahanur Ali said, "BIWTA and Fire Service have been called in the rescue operation."
