A writ petition has been filed with the High Court seeking its directive upon the authorities concerned to take necessary steps for giving Tk 5.0 million as compensation to each of the families of those passengers who died and Tk 2.0 million as compensation to each of the families of those who suffered injuries in the MV Abhijan-10 launch inferno.
Md Eunus Ali Akond, a Supreme Court lawyer, filed the petition with the High Court as a public interest litigation on Sunday.
Shipping Secretary, Chairman of the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) and Hanjalal Sheikh, Proprietor of MV Ovijan-10 launch, have been made respondents in the writ petition.
The petition sought a rule upon the respondents to explain as to why they should not be directed to take necessary steps for giving the compensation.
It also asked for issuing another rule upon them as to why they should not be directed to constitute a judicial commission for an inquiry into the devastating fire that killed a total of 41 passengers till now.
It also prayed to the court to issue a rule as to why the respondents should not be directed to take necessary steps for stern action against the persons responsible for the incident.
Pending hearing of the rule, the petitioner also asked the court to direct the respondents to give Tk 1.0 million as compensation to each of the families of the passengers killed and Tk 0.5 million to the each of the families of the passengers injured.
At least 41 passengers were killed in a major fire that ripped through the launch carrying some 500 passengers from Dhaka to Barguna in the early hours of Friday while crossing the Sugandha River in Jhalakathi.
At least 100 people were injured in the fire and a total of 68 people remained missing. Officials said many of those missing could be among the dead who have not yet been identified.
