Jhalakathi launch fire: HC seeks probe report within 30 days

The High Court (HC) has directed the shipping ministry probe body to submit their findings on the deadly fire incident of MV Abhijan-10 launch within 30 days.

The HC bench of Justice M Enayetur Rahim and Justice Md Mostafizur Rahman issued the order following a writ petition on Tuesday.

Advocate Yunus Ali Akand and Barrister Anik R Haque appeared for the writ petition during the hearing today.

Following the primary investigation, the probe body on Sunday said that there were faults in the engine of MV Abhijan-10.

Tofayel Ahamed, the head of the shipping ministry probe committee, told reporters, "We have primarily found some faults in the engine and assumed that the faults might have led to the fire which later spread all over the launch within a short time."

The committee also began recording accounts by relatives of the victims and eyewitnesses on Sunday morning at the Barguna Circuit House.

"The launch did not have enough fire extinguisher arrangements to fight the fire," said Lt Col Zillur Rahman, the director of the Fire Service Defence and Rescue, after visiting the launch on Sunday.

"If the launch had proper equipment to fight the fire, it could be controlled and many lives would have been saved," he said. 

He also added that the launch staffers might not have been trained to fight fires, adding that the blame lay with the launch master and his assistants.

A massive fire broke out in the engine room of MV Abhijan-10 in the middle of River Sugandha off the coast of Jhalakathi Sadar upazila at around 3am on 24 December.

The incident left some 40 people charred to death and scores injured.

The number of missing is at least 54 as per the data from Red Crescent Bangladesh's Jhalakathi district office.

The vessel was reportedly carrying about 1,000 passengers, according to witnesses and passengers.