Another boat capsizes in Bangladesh, leading to questions over safety norms

As another boat capsized in Bangladesh, authorities have cited overcrowding as the main reason for the sinking of a ferry that killed more than 60 people. Many more people are still missing. Boat mishaps are common in the South Asian nation, which has 24,000 km waterways with a navigable route of 5,968 km during the monsoon and 3,865 km in dry season.

The incident has once again brought back the issue of lax safety norms related to waterway transportation.

Ferries are a popular means of transportation in Bangladesh, which is crisscrossed by about 130 rivers. Accidents are common due to overcrowding or lax safety rules.

A five-member committee has been set up to investigate the incident. According to Al Jazeera, Jahurul Islam, chief administrator of Panchagarh has said that the initial reports suggest that the boat was carrying nearly three times its capacity.

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“Divers are searching for more bodies as some are still missing,” the news organisation quoted Islam as saying.

The boat was primarily carrying devotees who were on their way to take part in the Mahalaya festival at the Badheswari temple in Panchagarh. The incident took place on Sunday afternoon.

In December last year, a major fire broke out on a three-storey ferry near Jhalakthi. The incident had left more than 40 people dead.

The United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) noted that more than three lakh passengers move through the waterways on a regular basis using facilities available at different terminals and ghats.