Bagerhat: Two bodies were formed on Wednesday to investigate the capsize of a fertilizer-laden cargo vessel in the Bhola River in Sharankhola upazila of the Sundarban.

Officials said the forest department formed a four-member probe committee headed by Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Amir Hossain of the Sundarban East Zone. The committee was asked to submit its report within three days.

Besides, the local administration formed a five-member probe committee headed by Bagerhat Additional Deputy commissioner (revenue) Mohammad Shafiqul Islam and it was asked to submit its report by seven days.

Meanwhile, assistant conservator of forest of Sundarban East Zone Kamal Hossain filed a case against some unidentified people, including the owner and staff of the cargo vessel with Sharankhola Police Station in connection with the capsize incident.

However, the forest officials are trying to clean up the fertilizers from the spot with 10-12 labours.

The sunken cargo vessels could not be salvaged till Wednesday afternoon.

Joynul Abedin, deputy director of Bagerhat Department of Agriculture Extension, said the oyster and snails living in the area may face trouble due to fertilizer but it will not have that much impact on the wildlife of the Sundarbans.

Earlier, a cargo vessel carrying potash fertilizer capsized in the Bhola River at Swarankhola Range of the Sundarban East Zone.

Amir Hossain said that the cargo vessel - ‘Jabalenoor’ - ran aground at a char in the river on Sunday and then sank as the keel of the cargo got fractured when two rescue vessels tried to move the cargo during high tides.

‘Water of the canals and the river over a vast area near the capsize spot has taken a red hue because of the dissolution of the chemical fertilizer,’ he said adding that the cargo was carrying 200 tonnes of potash fertilizer.