Bodies formed to probe N'ganj stampede

Two investigation committees were formed, an unnatural death case was filed by police and an elderly woman was reported missing yesterday, a day after a stampede triggered by rumours of a bridge collapsing left 10 Hindu devotees dead at a ritual holy dip in Narayanganj.

Meanwhile, Dr Mizanur Rahman, chairman of National Human Rights Commission, and locals of Langalbandh and Hindu leaders blamed the state's mismanagement and negligence and inadequate security arrangements of law enforcers for the incident.

The committees, a seven-member one of Narayanganj district administration and a five-member one of police, are scheduled to submit a report in seven working days.

Additional Superintendent of Police Mohammad Zakaria, heading the police committee, said none of the 16 or so CCTV cameras covered the stampede spot, a 50-yard stretch between the bailey bridge and Rajghat, the most revered of the 16 ghats there.

Maloti Rani, 60, arriving from Char Batalia in Gaibandha district, was reported missing after her son Swapan Kumar Saha failed finding her at local hospitals.

Dr Mizanur was addressing a discussion organised by Minority Rights Forum Bangladesh at Dhaka University's RC Majumder Auditorium. 

Little was taken into consideration of recommendations coming at a meeting at the deputy commissioner's office on March 16 where members of the dip organising committee were present, one Hindu leader told The Daily Star.

It included clearing water hyacinths from the 3.5-kilometre stretch by the Brahmaputra river where the ghats are situated and making it more accessible by boats, added Parimal Chandra Ghosh, vice president, Bangladesh Jatiya Hindu Samaj Sangskar Samity.

The locals and Hindu leaders demanded indentifying and arresting people who spread the rumour to, as they claimed, steal and loot valuables in the confusion.

Police officials believe the day being a weekend and a decrease in political violence created a sudden surge of devotees which law enforcers found hard to manage.

Around eight to 15 lakh devotees, as per locals, had thronged the site for the annual "Maha Astami Snan" ending at 5:48am yesterday.