Sunken cargo ship yet to salvage: 500 hundred tons coals recovered
Bagerhat Correspondent :
Some 5 hundred metric tons coals out of 8 hundred (tons) were recovered till December 06 from a cargo ship that sank in the river Pashur of Mongla Sea Port on November 17. But the sunken cargo could not be salvaged till the writing of this report. The rest 3 hundred metric tons coals fell in the river and mixed with mud. Now the owners of the cargo ship are trying their best to salvage the same. In order to materialize the salvation of the cargo 2 bulk heads were sent to the spot on Monday afternoon. It is expected that the cargo will be salvaged from the river Rupsa with the help of the 2 bulk heads within 3 to 4 days.
On November 17 the ill-fated cargo Ship “MV. Prince of Ghasiakali” loading 8 hundred metric tons coals from a foreign ship anchored with a jetty of Mongla Port were going to Noapara river port (in Jasohar district). But when it reached Charkana area it grounded with a shoal. As result, a crack was appeared on the bottom of the cargo and it sank in the river Pashur.
One Bashir Hossain, owner of the sunken cargo ship told, on November 17 the ship carrying 800 metric tons coals sank in the river Pashur. On November 19 lifting out the coals from the sunken cargo was started and some 500 metric tons were recovered during a long timed of 17 days and it cost a sum of Tk.16 lakh. He added, in order to salvage the sunken cargo 2 bulk heads were brought to the spot on Monday and the salvation work already started from the Morning.
Md. Belal Uddin, Assistant Harbour Master of Mongla Port Authorities told, this mishap was taken place outside of the Pashur channel of Mongla Port. So, it created no problem for the movement of ships on the channel.
The port authorities asked the owner of the coal laden sunken ship to salvage ship along the coals within 15 days. But the owner of the cargo failed to materialize the order in toto within the scheduled time. So, the owner of the carg prayed to the Port authorities to extend the time. Md. Belal Uddin, Assistant Harbour Master told, the owner party of the cargo was asked to salvage it within 4 days only.
The rest 300 metric tons coals were mixed with water and sands. As a result, the bio-diversity of Sundarbans will be affected. It is apprehended by Md. Nur Alam Shaikh, Joint Secretary of “Bangladesh Paribesh Andolon (BPA)” (Bangladesh Environment Movement). He added, coal is a poisonous object.
So, it is a matter of great negligence of responsibility. But there is none to observe the matter and consequently, such an incident is being happened almost regularly. The river Pashur is the heart of Sundarbns. So, such an accident is very harmful to the bio-diversity of Sundarbans, the biggest mangrove forest in the world.
