Probe committee reformed over death due to ferry delay

The Shipping Ministry on Thursday formed another probe committee to investigate the death of an injured student in an ambulance on a ferry in Kathalbari terminal that was allegedly forced to wait for three hours for a high government official’s arrival.

The committee will be headed by Sanjay Kumar Banik, an additional secretary of the ministry.

Other members of the committee are Shahnawaz Dilruba Khan, a joint secretary at the ministry and Shah Habibur Rahman, a deputy secretary.

The three-member committee will submit its report within the next seven working days.

The ministry set up the committee acting upon media reports that the ferry was delayed for Abdus Sabur Mandal, a joint secretary of the ministry.

Earlier, on Monday the ministry formed another two-member probe committee to investigate the incident.

Titas Ghosh, 11, a student of Kalia Pilot Secondary School in Narail, was injured in a road accident on Wednesday evening.

The next day doctors referred him to Dhaka Medical College Hospital for emergency surgery.

But the ambulance carrying him got stranded on a ferry in Kathatbari Terminal as it was waiting for the official.

Titas died in the ambulance due to excessive bleeding in the brain.

Titas' family members said that they had repeatedly requested the ferry officials to start it, but their pleading was ignored.