No step yet to salvage vessel from Shela River

Although six months have passed since a tourist vessel capsized in the Shela River in the Sundarbans, the authorities are yet to take any initiative to remove the sunken vessel, which has turned the area into a "trap" for vessels plying the route, said forest department officials.

Talking to the news agency, Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) of the Sundarbans East Zone Amir Hossain Chowdhury said three-storey tourist vessel "MV Shahidoot" capsized in the river near Harinaghata Camp of Chandpai Range on November 24 last year.  

Now the spot has turned very risky for vessels as the sunken ship cannot be noticed above the surface of the water, he said, adding that almost half of the sunken ship has already gone under silts on the riverbed.

After the ship capsized, the forest department asked the owner of the ship to take immediate steps to remove it, but to no effect, he added.

Md Shamim Hasan, owner of the sunken ship, said he has already made a Tk 33 lakh contract with a firm to salvage the vessel, but the firm is yet to take any step in this connection.

Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) Joint Director (conservancy and pilotage) AKM Abul Bashar said it is the responsibility of the owner of the sunken ship to salvage it.

"Although the owner could have availed the BIWTA's assistance by paying a fixed charge, we have not yet received any application from the owner in this connection," he said.

Bashar said BIWTA would send a letter to the owner to take steps to salvage the ship from the river as soon as possible; otherwise it would be sold in auction.