Jhalakathi launch fire: Victims’ families to get 1.5L in financial assistance
Jhalakathi Correspondent: The government will provide financial assistance of Tk 1.5 lakh to each of the families of those killed in the launch fire in Jhalakathi, State Minister for Shipping Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury has said. They will be also provided another Tk25,000 to meet funeral expenses, he added. The state minister made the remark after inspecting the burnt launch at Jhalakathi on Friday afternoon.
“We will provide TK 1.5 lakh to the families of the victims. Besides, the district administration has announced to pay Tk 25,000 for each deceased. In addition, we will provide medical assistance to the injured,” Khalid said. At least 40 people died when a packed launch caught fire on the Sugandha River in the southern district of Jhalakathi early on Friday. Officials said the death toll is likely to rise as many passengers sustained burn injuries when the fire swept through the Barguna-bound MV Obhijan after midnight.
More than 70 passengers of the launch have been sent to local hospitals, Fire Service Deputy Director Kamal Hossain Bhuiyan told media. After hearing of the fire, State Minister for Shipping Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury expressed his condolences to the families of the victims and set off to Jhalakathi to oversee the situation in the early morning on Friday. Subsequently, he visited Barisal Medical College to speak with those injured in the launch fire before setting of to inspect the launch with BIWTA Chairman Commodore Golam Sadeq and Divisional Commissioner of Barisal Saiful Hasan Badal.
