The National Committee to Protect Shipping, Roads & Railways (NCPSRR) and Citizen Rights Movements on Saturday demanded immediate submission of reports by two probe bodies formed to investigate the Sundarbans oil spill incident over two months back.
The leaders of the organisations alleged that neither of the two probe bodies formed to investigate the Sundarbans oil disaster have yet submitted their reports, to safeguard the ‘real culprits’.
They made the allegation at a joint press briefing at NCPSRR’s Purana Paltan office in the city on Saturday.They demanded the government make the probe reports public, after ensuring their speedy submission.
NCPSRR convener Ashis Kumar Dey said a seven-member probe committee headed by shipping joint secretary Nur-Ur-Rahman was formed two days after the oil tanker sank capsized in the Shela River at Migmari under East Zone of the Sundarbans after being hit by cargo vessel ‘MT Total’ on December 9.
Besides, another four-member probe committee headed by Department of Shipping-Dos Nautical surveyor captain Gais Uddin Ahmed was formed to look into the incident. The committees were asked to submit their reports within 7 and 15 days respectively, he said.
Citizen Rights Movement secretary general Tushar Rehman and Green Club of Bangladesh (GCB) president Nurur Rahman Selim were present, among others, at the briefing.
The ‘OT Southern Star 7’ carrying some 3.57 lakh litres of furnace oil sank in the river at Migmari under East Zone of the Sundarbans after being hit by cargo vessel ‘MT Total’ at 5.00am on December 9. – UNB
