KSRM again faces controversy over sailor’s death

KSRM has again courted controversy after the death of cadet officer Abu Rashed while on duty on MV Jahan Moni, a sea-going ship owned by the industrial group.

The ship was in India on May 31 when Rashed, 22, passed out. He was admitted to a hospital in Mumbai where doctors declared him dead.

On March 29, he boarded the ship of Brave Royal Ship Management (SR Shipping) under KSRM Group, which had earlier courted controversy over workers’ deaths at its shipbreaking yard.

The authorities claimed Rashed had died of illness, but his friends and colleagues pointed at overtime and mental torture.

Rashed, a resident of Jashore’s Manirampur, boarded the ship for the first time after passing from Marine Fisheries Academy.

The Department of Shipping has formed a three-member committee to probe Rashed’s death.

Captain Md Giashuddin Ahmed, principal officer of the Mercantile Marine Office, said the committee would be headed by Nautical Surveyor Captain Sheikh Mohammad Jalal Uddin Ghazi.

He said the committee had been asked to submit a report within 20 working days stating the cause of death and an assessment of damage among other issues.

Rashed’s elder brother Abu Russel said the former had been ill for about a month but did not inform the family.

“He had to work despite his illness. He required adequate treatment but did not receive it,” he said.

He claimed the ship’s chief officer had forced Rashed to take antibiotics.

“I lost my brother because of the negligence of the ship authorities, including the captain and the chief officer,” he also claimed.

KSRM Group Chief Executive Meherul Kharim said preparations were underway to bring back Rashed’s body.