Cargo vessel carrying 1,600 tonnes of wheat from India sinks in Bangladesh river: officials
Dhaka, May 19: A light cargo vessel carrying 1,600 tonnes of wheat worth 66.4 million Taka from India sank completely in the Meghna river at the estuary of Bay of Bengal overnight, a day after officials said the freighter was badly damaged as it hit a shoal.
The vessel was heading towards Narayanganj river port on the outskirts of Dhaka to be delivered to a private flour mill after receiving the cargo from a bigger ship at the outer anchorage of Chattogram Port on Tuesday.
The accident came as importers, particularly those in Asia, were banking on wheat from India, the world's second-biggest producer since exports from the Black Sea region plunged following Russia's February 24 invasion of Ukraine.
Authorities said there was no scope to recover the wheat.
The light vessel has completely gone under water with 1,600 tonnes of wheat, there is no scope to recover the wheat, Bangladesh's Water Transport Cell joint secretary Ataul Kabir told PTI.
Earlier officials from the department said the ship did not sink completely and it was beached in a canal in the Tillar Char area in coastal Laxmipur district.
The shipping agent of the vessel said a crack developed in the front hatch of the vessel after being hit by a shoal and huge water entered into it. Later, water entered the middle of the vessel and sank with the cargo.
Officials and importer of the cargo said the wheat was worth around Taka 66.4 million (USD 7,58,280.70).
Asked if it could be an act of sabotage, Kabir ruled out such possibility as mere speculation saying it appeared a case of simple accident as the sea was rough when the ship hit an underwater shoal.
Talking to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, food minister Sadhan Chandra Majumdar said a private Bangladeshi company was importing the wheat from India but he asked authorities concerned to find if it was really a case of accident.
The sea was rough and apparently it was a simple accident, but we have asked the authorities concerned and submit a report if anything was abnormal, he said.
The ban on wheat exports by India to control domestic prices has sparked fears of a shortage and price hike in countries that depend on Indian wheat.
Majumdar, however, said the Indian ban was not applicable to Bangladesh, which mostly depends on Indian wheat and added that the country's staple Aus rice had just been harvested and the major Aman would be reaped in a short time.
There is no reason to worry so much, he said.
Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi earlier also brushed aside rumours that India's ban on wheat exports would impact Bangladesh and added that the current stock of wheat is also enough to meet demand in the local market.
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Govt to set up Bureau of Port Security to boost port, vessel security
New Delhi (PTI): To beef up the security infrastructure of ports, the government will set up a statutory body -- the Bureau of Port Security -- that will ensure timely analysis, collection and exchange of security-related information of ports and vessels, officials said on Friday.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday convened a meeting for the constitution of the dedicated body, the Bureau of Port Security (BoPS), which was attended by the Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal, and the Minister of Civil Aviation, Ram Mohan Naidu, an official statement said.
Emphasising that there is a need to establish a country-wide robust port security framework, Shah directed that security measures should be implemented in a graded and risk-based manner, taking into account vulnerabilities, trade potential, location, and other relevant parameters.
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The meeting also noted that lessons learned from the maritime security framework shall be replicated in the aviation security domain, the statement said.
The new body, modelled on the lines of the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), will be constituted as a statutory body under the new Merchant Shipping Act, 2025, and will work under the aegis of the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW), it said.
Headed by a senior IPS officer as its director general, the BoPS will be responsible for regulatory and oversight functions relating to the security of ships and port facilities.
"During the transition period of one year, the director general of shipping shall function as the director general of BoPS," the statement said.
"The BoPS will ensure timely analysis, collection and exchange of security-related information, with a special focus on cybersecurity, including a dedicated division to safeguard port IT infrastructure from digital threats," it said.
The government has designated the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) as a recognised security organisation (RSO), responsible for undertaking security assessments and preparation of security plans for port facilities.
The Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) will train and build the capacities of private security agencies (PSAs) engaged in port security.
"These agencies shall be certified and appropriate regulatory measures shall be introduced to ensure that only the licensed PSAs operate in this sector," the statement said.
