A burning launch in the middle of a river
Exposes the governance crisis in deeper.
Once again Bangladesh was made international headline due to country’s worst launch fire that killed 45 people. It happened at a time when the country is celebrating 50th anniversary of its victory1. Initial probe divulged that a newly installed engine was origin of the deadly fire. Police already arrested the owner for negligence. Further investigation is being carried out.
Within hours of that launch disaster,another incendiary disaster in a Chattogram shipbreaking yard injured several workers2. An indication that industrial accidents worsens in recent years.
In the wake of that launch disaster,mobile court of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) is conducting special drive across the country, finding irregularities in many vessels and imposing penalties3.
On the eve of Bakri Eid this year, Bangladesh was found in news reports of international press for a deadly factory fire on the outskirts of Dhaka. In the wake of that disaster,I wrote the following piece titled “Another Industrial Disaster : Decoding The Incongruities “. Sharing bits of it again:
The juice factory in question is used to store and produce consumer products like beverages and snacks. In that cramped factory premises,many children and women were working on that fateful day.Hashem Food factory fire,killed 49 people, still rankles with us. Prior to that, mysterious explosion in a shopping mall in the middle of a residential cum commercial area killed 15 people in a busy part of Dhaka, including the security guard living in the basement. Official probe report blamed gas leakage from an abandoned gas connection, severed due to pending dues 5 years ago.No independent verification is there as independent forensic investigation is not allowed. Nor is it encouraged.
Shock and puzzle displayed on the press might remind one such incident is incongruous in Bangladesh’s industrial environment. But flourishing of crony capitalism, feudal mindset ,deception and trampling over other’s legitimate rights set the context for such tragedies. It is there in subtle and less crude form ,we get puzzled and shocked only when tragedies struck. Prelude to catastrophe is pretty much written in our society4.
Motorized boat disaster is not new in Bangladesh. Between April 02 and April 09, just before introducing harder lockdown, a boat capsized near Narayanganj,killing 35 persons. It had been hit by cargo vessel belonging to a ruling party MP. Passengers had been trying to go to southern districts before strict lockdown came into effect.
On May 03, a motorized boat carrying 26 passengers sank in Padma after hitting a bulkhead near Munshiganj at Shimulia ghat. All the 26 passengers, on their way to villages, were dead. Later it turned out that an untrained and addicted boy was steering the boat. On May 12, another tragedy struck at Banglabazar ghat in Madaripur. Stampede in an overcrowded ferry killed 5 passengers5.
Recurrence of such tragedies is an indication that something is horribly wrong in the system of accountability. This year this was the third incident that put Bangladesh’s name on international press for reasons that ashamed us. Only better governance could ensure an acceptable level of accountability that could help avoiding such tragedies.
Notes And References:
1 “Jhalakathi’r Sugandha Nadite Modhyo Rate Pude Jaya Launch Tite Ki Ghotechhilo(What Happened On The Burning Launch On The Fateful Night In Jhalakathi's Sugandha River)”,BBC Bangla,December 24,2021Link here
2 “Four Workers Injured In Chittagong Shipyard Blast”,Pimple Barua,Dhaka Tribune,December 25,2021, Link here
3 “Saat Ti Launch E Ovijan,Shob Koto Tei Truti”,Daily Prothom All,December 30,2021
4 “Another Industrial Disaster: Decoding The Incongruities “,Rezaul Hoque,July 30,2021,https://hoquestake.blogspot.com,Link here
5 “Exodus And Awareness “,Rezaul Hoque,May 13,2021,https://hoquestake.blogspot.com,Link here
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