A BRIEF INTERPRETATION OF ACCIDENTS IN BANGLADESH INLAND RIVER ROUTES: (An Approach from Practical Point of View)

Abstract

Inland river transportation, the safest form of transportation in developed countries is the agent of catastrophe in Bangladesh, a developing country. Over the past decades there have been a number of launch (passenger ferry) accidents in which several thousand people met watery graves. Literature review shows that analyses were carried out mostly from the viewpoint of academic research. To enlighten the roles of professionals like Naval Architects and Law Enforcing Agencies, the reasons behind the accidents in Bangladesh Inland Waterways have been simplified and the nature of actions required for preventing the accidents have been identified from practical point of view. Data analysis of major accidents shows that prevention of passenger vessels’ accident will drastically reduce the number of casualties in Bangladesh Inland Waterways where the two repeatedly reported causes of accidents are overloading and inclement weather. Vessels of length around 40 meters are more accident prone in inclement weather. Analysis shows that consideration of overloading condition in design will have no effect in practical scenario and consideration of higher wind pressure in design is not feasible from the socio-economical aspect of Bangladesh. Role of proper design and construction has been identified by dividing the accidental phenomenon into two phases, capsizing and sinking of vessels.