At least 26 people were killed and five others injured when a passenger-carrying speedboat crashed into an anchored sand-laden bulkhead in the River Padma on Monday.

The speedboat was plying in violation of the Covid restriction on public transports, Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority chairman commodore Golam Sadeq told New Age.

None of the passengers wore lifejacket, which increased the death toll, while the driver was driving recklessly, he added.

The 12-seater boat was not registered and was carrying 33 people, including the driver, said officials of the Department of Shipping.

Two of the injured, including the driver, were in a critical condition, said officials.

The Madaripur district administration, the BIWTA and the Department of Shipping formed three separate probe committees in connection with the accident.

The identities of the 26 deceased were found. The dead included 22 males, three children and one female.

The deceased are: Monir Mia, son of late Alam Mia, his wife Hina Begum and their two young daughters Sumi Akhtar and Rumi Akhtar from Terokhada in Khulna,   Arju Sardar, son of late Ponu Sardar, and his young daughter Yesmin fom Faridpur, Md Saiful Islam and Riaz Hossain, both sons of Sadeq Bepari from Mehendiganj in Barishal,  Tahir Peer, son of Tara Mia Peer from Madaripur, Kawser, son of late Abul Hashem, and Ruhul Amin, son of Nurul Islam, from Daudkandi in Cumilla, Ziaur Rahman, son of late A Mannan, from Titas in Cumilla, Sagor Sheikh, son of Chan Mia Sheikh, from Munshiganj, Md Delwar Hossian, son of Ali Hossain Bepari, from Uttar Matlab in Chandpur, Shahdat Hossian, son of Adam Ali Mollah, from Shibchar in Madaripur, Anowar Chowkidar, son of Md Ali Ahmed, from Teduria in Barishal, Zobaier Mollah, son of Hafizur Rahman, from Lohagora in Narail, A Ahad, son of Md Mannan Mollah, from Rayerkandi in Madaripur sadar and Md Hasan Mollah son of Ajit Mollah from Madaripur, SM Nasiruddin, son of late Abdur Kuddus Shikdar, from Nalchhiti in Jhalkathi, Johnny Adhikari, son of R Adhikari, from Pirojpur, Md Bappi, son of Md Ohidur, from Charkhali in Pirojpur, Saidul Islam from Mehendiganj in Barishal,  Alauddin Bepari, son of Hashem Bepari, from Banaripara in Barishal, Monir Hossain, son of Abdul Mannan Chaprashi, from Mehendiganj in Braishal and Khorshed Alam, son of Nur-e-Alam, from Mirpur in Dhaka.   

The accident took place near Banglabazar ferry terminal under Shibchar upazila in Madaripur at about 7:00am as the speedboat coming from the Shimulia ferry terminal area in Munshiganj turned upside down after hitting the bulkhead near the Banglabazar jetty, said Madaripur Local Government Division deputy director Azharul Islam, head of the probe committee formed by the district administration.

‘As the speedboat hit the bulkhead very hard some of the passengers flew over and fell on the bulkhead receiving head injuries while the others drowned with the boat sinking in the water,’ he said.

Most of the deceased died from head injuries, Azharul mentioned, adding that two of the five injured people were in a critical condition.

Replying to the question as to how the speedboat was running amid the ongoing restrictions, he said that they would look into the matter.

The original restrictions on public movement and business activities that had come into effect on April 5 were extended till April 14 amid widespread violations and later further extended till May 16.

Thus the ban on the movement of public transports on roads, waterways and railways has been in effect since April 5.

Azharul also said that following the collision the forehead of the speedboat broke down and the bulkhead was also damaged.

Shipping department chief inspector Shafiqur Rahman told New Age that the speedboat did not have registration.

‘As the driver is still unconscious [as of 8:00pm] we do not know if he has any licence,’ he said, adding that they were yet to find the boat owner Chandu Mollah.

These boats usually have a seat capacity for 12 people, excluding the driver, while the boat was plying with 32 passengers besides the driver, he said.

BIWTA chairman commodore Golam Sadeq told New Age that the bulkhead was anchored during the accident while the speedboat hit it recklessly.

The boat driver most likely took passengers from a char near the Shimulia terminal area, he said, adding, ‘Most of the speedboats running on the Shimulia–Banglabazar ferry route are illegal with no registration and with their drivers having no licences.’

Fire Service and Civil Defence personnel, police members and local people conducted rescue operations in the river and recovered the bodies, the boat and the five injured people.

Madaripur deputy commissioner Rahima Khatun told New Age that there were little chances of finding more bodies as the accident took place near the shore — about 100 feet from it.

Shibchar police station officer-in-charge Miraj Hossain told New Age at around 8:30pm that they had handed over the bodies of all the dead to their families and arrested the driver.

‘The speedboat driver — Shah Alam — is unconcious with critical injuries and that is why we don’t know if he has any licence to drive the boat,’ he said.

The driver was first admitted to the Shibchar upazila health complex and later referred to the Faridpur Hospital for better treatment, he said and added that the rescue operation was called off at around 3:00pm.

A case was under process as of 8:30pm and the river police would file it, he added.

Rahima Khatun also said that they had formed a six-member probe committee requiring it to submit its report within three working days.

Committee head Azharul Islam said that they would try to submit the report by tomorrow on how the accident took place and giving recommendations to prevent this kind of accident in future.

The committee members included Shibchar upazila nirbahi officer Md Asaduzzaman, one member from the police, one from the fire service, one from the BIWTA and one from the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation, he said.

The BIWTA chairman said that they had formed a four-member probe body headed by the agency’s additional director (traffic) Iqbal Alam, which would submit its report within seven working days.

The shipping department’s three-member committee is scheduled to submit its probe report within 15 working days, said its chief inspector Shafiqur Rahman.

On April 4 at least 34 people were killed after a launch capsized in the River Sitalakhya after a cargo vessel hit it.