Bagerhat: A committee formed by the Environment and Forest Ministry to probe the capsize of a fertilizer-laden cargo vessel in the Bhola River in Sharankhola upazila of the Sundarbans recommended a halt to the operation of vessels through the mangrove forest.

Convenor of the committee Khulna Zone Forest Conservator Dr Sunil Kumer Kundu submitted the probe report with 14 recommendations to the ministry on Thursday.

Dr Sunil Kumer said inefficiency of the cargo pilot causing him to steer the vessel in the wrong direction was the main reason behind the disaster.
The Environment and Forest Ministry formed the seven-member probe body on 6 May. Earlier, Bagerhat district administration and Forest Department formed two probe bodies.

Regardless of the recommendation, the final decision does not lie with the Environment and Forest Ministry in this regard.
Meanwhile, the owners of the cargo vessel started preliminary work to salvage the sunken vessel on Thursday. The salvage ship of the owners will reach the spot within two or three days, said Sundarbans East Zone forest conservator Kamaluddin.

He said that they removed 7 tonnes of MOP fertilizer from inside the sunken cargo vessel engaging eight local workers in the last eight days. The ship was said to be carrying some 200 tonnes.

The cargo vessel named ‘MV Jabal-e-Nur’ carrying potash fertilizer capsized in the Bhola River at Swarankhola Range of the Sundarbans East Zone on 5 May.

Although the Forest Department filed a case against four people, including the vessel owner, no one has been arrested yet in this connection.