At least five people, including three of a family, died after being struck by a broken mooring line of a passenger launch at Sadarghat Launch Terminal this afternoon.

The deceased were identified as Belal Hossain, 30, a garment worker, his wife Mukta Khatun, 25, their daughter Maisha, 4, Robiul Islam, 19, a street hawker, and Ripon Howlader, 38, a rideshare driver. They died on the spot.

The bodies were taken to the Sir Salimullah Medical College Mitford Hospital morgue.

Joynul Abedin, director of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA), confirmed the incident to The Daily Star.

Photo: Tuhin Shubhra Adhikary

According to a witness, the incident occurred around 3:00pm while two launches -- Farhan 10 and Farhan 6 -- were trying to dock between two other launches -- Tipu 13 and Tasrif 1 -- at one of the pontoons.

The docking attempt in the tight spot caused the mooring line of launch Tasrif 4 docked next to the Tipu 13 to snap under pressure.

Monir Hossain, assistant to the driver of Tasrif 4, said, "BIWTA officials had asked us to loosen our mooring line as the launches were trying to dock in a tight spot. But before we could do that, our mooring line broke and hit five people standing at the entrance of the Pubali launch, which was docked to the left of our launch [Tasrif-4]."

Both Farhan-6 and Tasrif-4 operated on the Dhaka-Betua route. Betua is in Bhola's Char Fession.

Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) has suspended the route permits of these two launches, Zainul Abedin, director (traffic) of BIWTA told The Daily Star.

They also formed a three member committee to investigate the incident, he said.

Led by Rafiqul Islam, director ( purchase and storage ) of BIWTA, the committee was asked to submit a report within five days.

Meanwhile, Sadarghat river police have detained five staffers from both the launches for interrogation, said Alamgir Kabir, joint director of BIWTA.

State Minister for Shipping Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury said action would be taken against those responsible for the Sadarghat incident.

The minister also expressed deep shock at the deaths of five people and extended his sympathy to their family members, according to a ministry press release.

BIWTA CASE

Ismail Hossain, joint director of BIWTA, filed a case with South Keraniganj Police Station, naming the drivers of Tasrif-4 and Farhan-6 and three others as the accused.

They were accused of reckless driving, overspeeding., and using old mooring lines (anchoring rope), according to the case documents.