BANGLADESH

The coast guards on Tuesday seized the cargo vessel responsible for the recent Munshiganj ferry capsize that claimed lives of around 150 people.

Bangladesh Coast Guard officials said 'MV City-1' cargo ship was seized around 12pm from the Meghna River at Chandpur Sadar's Rajrajeshwar area.

Assistant sub-inspector of Chandpur Police Station Mohammad Salauddin said eight of the cargo's crewmen were handed over to police.

At least 147 people died when passenger carrier Shariatpur-1 collided with the cargo vessel on the night of Mar 13 and capsized with more than 250 passengers on board.

The committee that investigated the accident held the cargo vessel responsible for the accident. MV City-1 was on its way to Dhaka from Shariatpur on the fateful night.

Commander of Chandpur Station Coast Guard lieutenant Mohammad Zahurul Haque and director of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) Emdadul Haque told bdnews24.com that 12 sailors were on board the cargo ship when it was seized.

The vessel had no goods and was on its way to Chittagong from Dhaka, they said.

According to the information given out by the detained crew, one Fazlur Rahman owns the vessel. He stays at Dhaka's Gendaria area, they said.

The detainees are – master Shahidul Islam, 54, pilot Amir Hossain, 42, crew Rafiqul Islam, 35, 'Zafar', 27, 'Shahid', 25, Babul Hossain, 28, 'Niyamat', 19, Sanowar Hossain, 32, 'Yousuf', 19, 'Nuruzzaman', 28, Mobarak Ali, 22 and Monir Hossain, 32.