Pinak-6, Miraz-4 capsize

Two incidents of launch capsize took place, the first one in the Meghna river and the other in the Padma, within less than two and a half months. Fifty five lives were lost after a double-decker MV Miraj-4 launch heading for Shariatpur from Dhaka went down in the Meghna in Munshiganj on May 15. The launch sank with over 200 people on board around 3:30pm at Doulatpur in Gazaria upazila during a nor'wester. About 40-50 passengers made it to the shore alive.

A crowd gathers on the shore of the Meghna at Doulatpur of Gazaria in Munshiganj where a launch went down on May 15. Photo: Star

Meanwhile, more than a hundred people died as another overcrowded double-decker launch, Pinak-6, buffeted by strong waves in the Padma river, sank near Lauhajang upazila of Munshiganj on August 4.
The launch with around 200 people on board was on its way to Mawa Ghat from Kawrakandi terminal, and sank in the middle of the mighty river around 11:00am.