A piece of history rusting away

They were waiting for the sun to set.

Once the evening spread out against the sky, the group slowly but surely headed toward their destination -- London Ghat in Dakatia river near Chandpur river port.

Soon, the moon sunk beneath a black cloud, and the night became darker and quieter than ever. Maybe a murmur here and there.

But the group did not pay any heed. They had a mission to complete.

It was October. The 30th to be exact. The year -- 1971.

And their mission was to sink MV Akram, a ship that carried supplies including food and weapons for the Pakistan occupation army.

The ship used to guard the Padma estuary. On information that it would be docked at London Ghat, the group undertook the mission.

On that night, the freedom fighters set up a mine underneath the ship and were able to sink it, and thus denying the occupying army the resources they needed.

Then after independence, the ship went under the ownership of Bangladesh Shilpa Bank.

Many years went by, it changed many hands and many attempts were made to lift it from the bottom of the river, but to no avail. Eventually, the ship including the history of courage and patriotism just sank into oblivion.

Then in 2007, it was purchased by some Narayanganj sand traders. In November, 2008, after much effort they were able to lift it from the bottom of the river. The owners brought it to Shahen Shah Dockyard by Shitalakhya river in Bandar upazila of Narayanganj.

After finding out about the ship's history, freedom fighters demanded its preservation and the liberation war affairs ministry in August 2009 decided to preserve it.

But nine years went by; the ship remained at the dock, neglected.

Finally this year, after continuous demand from the freedom fighters and civil society members, Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) has started the process of preserving MV Akram.

It will soon be taken to Karnaphuli Dockyard, around 3km from the Shahen Shah Dockyard, for renovation, according to BIWTA. Once renovated, MV Akram will be taken to the Military Museum in the capital. It will be preserved and displayed as a Liberation War memorabilia there.

Built in Holland in 1965, the ship was owned by United Trading Corporation and Industrial Bank of Pakistan. It was around 180-foot long and weighed around 688 metric tonnes, said Kazi Nasir, deputy commander of Bandar Upazila Freedom Fighters' Council.

Risking their lives, the naval commandos led by Momin Ullah Patwary Bir Pratik that night successfully sunk the ship, he added. “But due to negligence of the authorities concerned, an important evidence of our history is lying neglected. It should be preserved at once.”

During a visit this week, the newspaper saw that the half-sunk rusty ship was at the dock owned by one Shahen Shah.

Many of the locals alleged that over the years some unscrupulous persons had stolen parts of the ship and sold those.

Sand trader Moktar Hossain, one of the owners of the ship, alleged that two persons had cut parts of the ship on June 29 this year. He said he lodged a complaint with Bandar Police Station on July 5.

“We bought the ship for Tk 14 lakh from a businessman after he failed to lift it from the river. He bought it at an auction held by the bank. It took us almost a year to lift it. Then we had to spend additional money to bring it to Narayanganj.”

He said they were hoping to make a profit by selling it. “But for the last nine years we could not do so and it's just lying here,” he said and demanded that they get compensated for their losses.

“We had been pursuing the ministry and BIWTA for compensation, but to no avail,” he alleged. In the meantime, local influential people had stolen almost one third of the ship including its engine, oil tank, wheel and plates, he alleged.

The dockyard owner, Shahen Shah, said he was also incurring losses. “No ship can pass through the spot as MV Akram is occupying the space. This ship is an important part of history. The government should not just leave it like this.”

Another owner of the ship, Sanwar Hossain, said, “We want the government to preserve the ship. But at the same time, we want compensation too.”

When asked, Abul Kalam, officer-in-charge of Narayanganj Bandar Police Station, said they have been guarding the ship so that no one could steal its parts. “We are also trying to recover the stolen parts and arrest the perpetrators.”

Dhiman Saha, general secretary of Shushashoner Jannoy Nagorik (SHUJAN), Narayanganj chapter, said, “The ship must be preserved. It bears testimony to the glorious chapter in the country's history.”

Abdur Rahman, general secretary of Narayanganj Nagarik Committee, and Mahbubur Rahman Masum, president of Narayanganj Press Club, echoed him.

Contacted, Gulzar Ali, BIWTA joint director (Narayanganj River Port), said, “We have already pumped out most of the water from inside the ship and cleaned the garbage. It will be taken to the Karnaphuli Dockyard soon for renovation.”

Regarding the compensation, he said, “They [the owners] had sent a letter to our head office. We have forwarded it to the shipping ministry. They will take a decision soon...”

Contacted, Rabbi Miah, deputy commissioner of Narayanganj, said, “As per direction of the shipping ministry, the ship will be taken to the Military Museum from the Karnaphuli Dockyard after renovation. It will be preserved and displayed there as a Liberation War memorabilia.”

He also added, “Regarding the expenditure of transporting the ship as well as compensating the owners, the ministries concerned [Shipping and Liberation War ministries] are in talks. The issue will be finalised soon.”