Ferry accidents are very common in Bangladesh, a country
criss-crossed by hundreds of rivers. Two large rivers dissect Bangladesh
in two, east and west, the River Meghna and the River Padma and there
are hundreds of off shoots. In a country where travel by boat is a daily
part of life, and the main means of getting about, another tragedy occurred
on May 4th, when a passenger ferry travelling in stormy weather collided
with another boat and capsized near the south eastern port of Chandpur.
Officials say that the number of people on the ferry amounted to about
150, but survivors say that this was more like 300-400. No number has
been placed on the number of fatalities, but it is thought to be in the
100s.

Apart from restricting the numbers of passengers, the
tragedy could have been avoided if the nearest rescue boat had proper
equipment. Most Bangladeshi ferries travelling on local routes do not
keep passenger lists or issue tickets. Most accidents are blamed on overloading
or on unskilled skippers, correspondents say. Nearly 200 people were killed
when a ferry sank in the Meghna river early last year, and there have
been many more smaller ferry disasters.