Over 21,000 litres diesel spilled in the Kirtankhola

The Friday's collision between an oil tanker and a cargo vessel on the Kirtankhola spilled over 21,000 litres of diesel but officials claim that the spillage would not seriously harm the environment. 

Arefin Badal, assistant director at the Department of Environment, Barisal division, said the spillage would not be creating any serious environmental problem.

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District Fisheries Officer Bimol Kumar Das said he did not think the accident would have any impact on the movement of hilsa in the river.

Din Mohammad Fakrul Ahasan, a manager of Jamuna Oil Company's Barisal Depot, said the oil tanker had 3,12,106 litres of petrol and 9,85,237 diesel.

He said 21,240 litres of diesel was spilled.

Ahasunul Habib, manager of oil tanker MT Fazor, said he filed a general diary with Barisal Kotwali Police station and if they did not get any damages, they would file a case against the owners of the cargo ship.

Habib said the remaining fuel in the tanker was pumped into the Jamuna Oil Depot there.

Meanwhile, Barisal district administration formed a five-member enquiry committee to probe the collision incident.

Oil on water hyacinths on the other side of the river. Photo: Star

Deputy Commissioner Gazi Md Saifuzzaman said they visited the affected area and formed the committee led by ADC Ahasan Habib.

The committee has been asked to submit a report within seven days.

Siraj Majhi, a local fisherman, said people tried to clean up the river shore as best they could.

Jamshedur Rahaman, master of the oil tanker, said they were hit by the cargo ship which was coming from the opposite direction.

Some oil spilled in the river from the 1.2 lakh litre chamber that cracked, he said, claiming they managed to transfer most of the oil to another empty chamber.