Small vessels continue plying risky routes

The government's ban on plying of small vessels on 23 routes in the coastal areas during the stormy period from March 15 to October 15 every year fails to see proper implementation in absence of suitable alternative arrangement in the region.

Identifying the area as 'danger zone', the government in 2000 issued an order, banning plying of water transports less than 65 feet long in the coastal routes for the seven months considered as the 'period of storms'.

Like every year, small sized trawlers have continued plying different routes in Patuakhali district to transport people to and from coastal island areas amid life risk as the authorities concerned did not arrange any alternative for their safe movement.

Over 100 trawlers and small sized mechanised boats are plying dozens of routes connecting over a hundred islands in seven upazilas under the district as a large number of people have to regularly move, especially to communicate with the upazila headquarters and the district headquarter.

The routes include important ones like Patuakhali-Galachipa, Galachipa-Rangabali, Galachipa-Char Montaj, Galachipa-Lalmohon, Galachipa-Moudubi, Baufal-Lalmohon, Baufal-Char Kukrimukri, Dashmia-Charfassion,  Kalapara-Moudubi, and Kalapara-Barabaishdia. 

On May 15 in 2005, overloaded single-decker launch 'Prince of Patuakhali' capsized on Patuakhali-Char Montaz route in rough weather, killing over 100 people including a good number of children and women.

On May 3 in 2014, at least 16 people were killed as single-decker launch ML Sathil-1 sank at Kalagachia on Patuakhali-Galachipa route.

Just after the incident, Patuakhali district administration formed a probe body that recommended strictly enforcing the ban on plying of small sized water vehicles in these routes in the stormy season.

The body also asked the authorities concerned to arrange big sized launches or sea-trucks there but to no effect yet, said district administration sources. 

Abdur Razzak, deputy director of BIWTA (Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority), said, "We have sent letters to UNO offices and police stations in the region seeking necessary cooperation so that no small sized trawler or mechanised boat ply the risky routes during the ban period."