Waterbus capsize: 6 including driver of bulkhead arrested

Six people, including the driver of the sand-laden bulkhead RB Tisa-5, were arrested in connection with the sinking of the BRTC passenger waterbus at Telghat in Buriganga River in the Sadarghat area of Dhaka on Monday morning.

The arrestees are the master of the bulkhead Shariful, its driver Ansar, staff members Sukani Sajib Sardar, Lashkar Siam Bepari, Lashkar Shafiul Gazi, and cook Masud Munshi, said Shafiqur Rahman, officer-in-charge of Sadarghat River Police Station.

Rescue ship Rustom rescued the waterbus and kept it on the banks of Buriganga in the Postagola area. So far, six people have been rescued alive, and four bodies have been recovered.

Meanwhile, Keraniganj Upazila Nirbahi Officer Faisal Bin Karim gave Tk25,000 each to the four families of the deceased and Tk10,000 to the surviving families. Relatives of around 12 to 15 missing persons are still searching the banks of the Buriganga in hopes of finding their loved ones.

River police personnel are preparing a list of missing persons.

A five-member committee, including the Dhaka deputy commissioner and BIWTA joint director, has been formed to probe the incident.