The government has directed authorities to take action against officials who were negligent of their duty regarding the deadly MV Abhijan-10 launch fire that killed 47 people and injured 80 last year.
Md Aminur Rahman, deputy secretary of the Ministry of Shipping, handed out instructions to the heads of the different wings regarding the issue on January 27.
A probe panel, formed by the shipping ministry, submitted a report on January 3, blaming the owner, master and engine drivers for the incident.
The report also accused officials from the Department of Shipping and the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority of negligence in their duties.
Md Manjurul Kabir, chief engineer of the Department of Shipping, described the recent transfer of four surveyors as ‘normal’.
We have received several instructions from the ministry, Commodore Abu Zafar Md Jalal Uddin, director general of Department of Shipping, said on Thursday.
The probe panel found Md Mahbubur Rashid and Md Habibur Rahman from the Department of Shipping to be negligent in their duties, he said.
Surveyor Md Mahbubur Rashid was transferred to Chattogram from Dhaka.
The installation of a faulty engine was identified as the main reason behind the blaze.
The launch did not have sufficient fire extinguishers either. There was diesel in a drum and cylinder stove for cooking outside the engine room, which violates fire safety rules.
Many people aboard the vessel on the night of the deadly blaze later said the engine had malfunctioned immediately after leaving Dhaka. A few technicians had even tried to fix the issue a few times, but the launch kept travelling at high speed.
