The MV-Sagar Nandini-2 vessel carrying 11 lakh metric tonnes of furnace oil, which sank in the Meghna River on Sunday, could not be salvaged till Tuesday.
Already three vessels have reached the Meghna River to salvage the vessel.
Besides, the local administration has formed a nine-member probe body, headed by Additional District Magistrate Ripon Kumar Saha, to look into the incident. The committee has been asked to submit its report within seven working days.
Md Shahjahan, director of the river protection and management division of Bangladesh Inland and Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) visited the spot in the morning and said they are trying to recover the furnace oil from the river.
To salvage a sunken vessel from the river is a time-consuming matter as there are some explosive substances inside the vessel, he said.
The main aim is to recover oil from the river, he added.
If there is any negligence on the part of the master found during the investigation then action will be taken against him, said Shahjahan.
Three vessels of SHR Navigation Company Limited—Sagar Badhu-3, Sagar Badhu-4 and Sagar Nandini-3---are trying to salvage the sunken vessel as per the decision of the owners as the BIWTA expressed incapability of salvaging the vessel, he said.
He also expected to finish their salvage operation by Wednesday.
Staff officer of Coast Guard South Zone, Lieutenant M Hasan Mehedi, said the coast guard members have been providing security to the sunken vessel round the clock since Sunday and already a barge named ‘Humaira’ from Chandpur is on the way to salvage the vessel.
The oil chambers inside the vessel have been sealed by the divers and there is no scope to spill out oil, he said.
Meanwhile, a large area in the Meghna river has been polluted by a furnace oil spill since the vessel with 11 lakh litres of oil sank in the river — posing threat to biodiversity and the environment.
Jamal Hossain, senior fisheries officer of the Bhola Fisheries Department, said fish in the river will be in danger due to the oil spill.
A lighter vessel with 11 lakh litres of fuel sank after being hit by another vessel in the Meghna river due to dense fog in the sadar upazila of Bhola district early Sunday.
KM Shafiul Kinjal, media officer of Coast Guard South Zone, said the vessel named ‘Sagar Nandini-2’ from Chattogram port sank in Meghna as another vessel hit it at Tulatuli Majher Char while heading towards Chandpur Padma Depot around 4am on Sunday.
The accident took place due to poor visibility caused by the dense fog.
All the fuel spilt into the river. Local people later collected the fuel in containers.
Fortunately, all 13 crew members of the vessel have been rescued by another vessel passing through the area.
