Hired private company starts salvaging sunken ferry today

A Chattogram based private company ‘Genuine Enterprise’ will join the rescue operation to salvage sunken ferry Shah Amanat in Paturia of Manikganj.

Earlier, the Ministry of Shipping has decided to hire the company to rescue the ferry five days after it tilted.

Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) Joint Director (Rescue) Fazlul Rahman confirmed the matter to the media on Sunday (October 31).

Government salvage ships 'Hamza' and 'Rustam' made several attempts but failed to rescue the ferry.

It is learned that a private company 'Genuine Enterprise' from Chattogram has been given the responsibility to rescue the partially sunken ferry.

Md. Fazlul Rahman told the media that BIWTA would bear all the cost of rescuing the ferry with the approval of the Ministry of Shipping.

A source in the Shipping Ministry said that the authorities have reached an agreement with Badiul Alam, the owner of Genuine Enterprise, to rescue the ferry.

If all goes well, preliminary work is underway to rescue Amanat Shah, who was partially submerged near Paturia Ferry Ghat No 5 from Monday.

The Ro-Ro ferry suddenly tilted and capsized in Paturia ghat on Wednesday (October 27) while it was about to dock at the terminal with 17 vehicles.

However three trucks, a private car and eight motorcycles onboard the ferry were able to land safely at the ferry terminal, but the rest of the vehicles sank with the ferry.