Ensure passenger safety

Habibullah Mizan
Journalist Forum for Communication and Environment and Green Club of Bangladesh yesterday at a press conference demanded the safety of the launch passenger.

They also demanded the exemplary punishment against the authority of the Coco-4 launch , allegedly responsible for the deadly incident that killed dozens of passengers at Bhola ahead of the previous Eid-ul-Azha.

Besides the coast guard, highway police and Rapid Action Battalion(RAB), they suggested the government to conduct the mobile courts to ensure passenger safety in road, railway and rivers ways.

GCB president Nurur Rahman Selim, GFCE general secretary Ashis Kumar Dey, Hirok Pasha, Monuj Kumar and Sharafat Ali Hira of Nodi Rokkha Safath of Nodi Rokkha Shapat , among others, were present the press conference held at the Dhaka Reporter’s Unity.

Ahead of the all occasions, the ministers and the concerned high officials made pep-talk regarding sufferings of the passengers but charging of extra money from passengers , the dangerous accidents continue, alleged Ashis Kumar Dey.

He said,‘‘ the dishonest officers of the railway , Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority, Sea Transport Directorate , Bangladesh Road Transport Authority are mainly responsible for the accidents.”

Replying to a question GCB president Nurur Rahman Selim claimed that the Chief Inspector of the Sea Transport Directorate illegally earns at least Tk 2 lac monthly.

Replying to a another question Hirok Pasha said, the authority yet to take action against ship surveyor Md Moynuddin Julfikar and ASM Najmul Haque, who were reportedly responsible as they had several times fitness provide fitness certificate in favour of Coco-4 though they knew the mechanical defaults of the Coco-4 .

The did not even serve a show cause notice against the two officers, he added.