A crew member died as a Bangladesh Shipping Corporation-owned oil tanker ‘MT Banglar Shourabh’ caught fire at the outer anchorage of Chattogram Port on Saturday, five days after the fire at the corporation’s other oil tanker.
BSC authorities suspected that the fire on the oil tanker ‘MT Banglar Shourabh’ might have been an ‘act of sabotage’.
The deceased, Sadek Mia, 60, is from Langalkot in Cumilla district.
Victim Sadek jumped into the water while trying to escape the flames. He was rescued later and taken to Chattogram Medical College Hospital where doctors declared that he was brought dead.
The fire broke out on the vessel at about 12:50am on Saturday, officials said.
The Bangladesh Navy, the Bangladesh Coast Guard, and the Chittagong Port Authority brought the fire under control after their efforts for about three hours, said Lieutenant Shakib Mehbub, media officer of the East Zone of Coast Guard in Chattogram.
Of the 50 crew members on board, 12 jumped into the water following the explosion, and 38 others were rescued from the oil tanker, he said.
He said that, of the 12 crew members who jumped into the river, 11 could be rescued in a conscious state while Sadek was found in an unconscious state.
Sadek was rushed to CMCH where doctors declared him ‘brought dead’, he said.
Kofil Uddin, mobilizing officer at the Chattogram divisional office of Fire Service and Civil Defence, said that they received an emergency call from the national emergency helpline number 999 and responded immediately.
‘Several crew members, being panicked, jumped into the sea before arriving our rescue team. They were rescued by fishing trawlers, as well as Coast Guard and Navy personnel,’ he said.
BSC managing director Commodore Mahmudul Malek, addressing a press conference at the BSC office on Saturday, suspected that the fire on the oil tanker ‘MT Banglar Shourabh’ might have been ‘an act of sabotage’.
‘There were simultaneous fires at four places on the ‘Banglar Shourabh’. However, there was no explosion aboard the vessel, which raises suspicions of sabotage. The fire erupted at night when the sea was extremely rough. As a result, it became difficult to control due to rough weather,’ he said.
‘Since the fire was not caused by gas or any other known reason, we suspect that it can be a deliberate act. However, the reason will only be determined after a thorough investigation,’ he added.
Shipping affairs adviser Brigadier General (retired) M Sakhawat Hossain expressed deep shock at the death in the fire and directed the formation of an inquiry committee to investigate the incident.
The Ministry of Shipping, in a press release issued on Saturday, said that the shipping affairs adviser assured the deceased’s family of full support.
The release said that the adviser ordered the BSC managing director to form a committee to investigate the cause of the fire and submit a detailed report with recommendations as soon as possible.
The vessel was reportedly carrying 11,600 tonnes of crude oil, which was being transferred from a mother vessel for refining.
Bangladesh Shipping Corporation operates two oil tankers, ‘MT Banglar Jyoti’ and ‘MT Banglar Shourabh,’ which transfer oil from mother vessels stationed at the port’s outer anchorage.
On September 30, an explosion and fire occurred aboard the ‘Banglar Jyoti’ at the port’s Dolphin Jetty, killing three people.