Govt announces compensation for launch fire victims

The government today announced Tk 1.5 lakh to be provided to the family of each deceased in the fire on the ‘Avijan-10’ launch.

Besides, the arrangement of the treatment for injured will beensured, State Minister for Shipping Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury said this while visiting the gutted launch at Jhalokathi on Friday.

This financial assistance will be provided from the Shipping Ministry and Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA), said the Deputy Director of Public Relations of BITWA.

Earlier, the state minister visited the injured in the launch fire at Jhalokathi Hospital and inquired about their treatment.

On his way from Dhaka to Jhalokathi, minister went to visit the injured in the launch fire at Sher-e-Bangla Medical College and Hospital in Barishal at noon.

Meanwhile, the Shipping Ministry and Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority have formed two separate committees to probe the fire. The ministry panel has been asked to submit its report within three days.

At least 39 people were charred to death and 72 others injured in a major fire that ripped through a launch carrying some 800 passengers from Dhaka to Barguna in the early hours of Friday.

The blaze on board the three-storey Avijan-10 in the middle of the Sugandha River off the coast of Jhalokati district's Sadar upazila, 250kms south of Dhaka, around 3am. Within five to 10 minutes, the flames engulfed the vessel.UNB.