Launch Fire Kills 40 in BD | At least 60 of the Injured were brought to Hospital | Bangladesh Ferry Fire | BD Passenger Ferry

 

Launch Fire Bangladesh

Launch Fire Kills 40 in BD | Bangladesh Ferry Fire

At least 40 people have been killed when a passenger launch caught fire on the Sugandha River in Bangladesh's southern district of Jhalokati.

Jhalokati Additional Superintendent of Police. Moinul Haque said 36 bodies had been recovered from inside and outside the launch.

Besides, the rest died after being taken to the hospital.

He said the launch caught fire and many jumped into the river. As a result, dead bodies are still being found in the river.

Officials fear the death toll could rise further.

Barisal Divisional Commissioner Saiful Hasan told BBC Bangla that a launch named 'MV Abhiyan' left Dhaka for Barguna last night. The launch caught fire in the early morning on the Sugandha river in Jhalokati.

The injured have been shifted to Barisal Sadar Hospital and local hospitals, the divisional commissioner said.

Officials have not yet been able to say how the launch started.

Akkas Sikder, a local journalist from Jhalokati, said he received the news of the launch fire at around 3.30 am.

He said many passengers jumped into the river to save their lives.

The launch was reportedly carrying extra passengers. However, it is believed that the fire started from the engine room.

Citing passengers, local journalist Akkas Sikder said the two-storey deck was quite hot when the launch left Dhaka on Thursday evening. When the passengers complained, the launch staff spread the carpet. But this heat continues to rise.

At one stage, the passengers complained that the engine room caught fire.

At least 60 of the injured were brought to Jhalokati Sadar Hospital, of which 20 were left there and the rest were shifted to Barisal Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital, said journalist Akkas Sikder.