Bagerhat: Although about six months have elapsed since the capsize of a tourist vessel in the Shela River in the Sundarban East Zone, the authorities are yet to come up with any effort to remove the sunken vessel, turning the area into a 'capsize trap' for vessels plying the route, Forest Department officials said.

Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) of the Sundarban East Zone Amir Hossain Chowdhury said 'MV Shahidoot', a three-storey tourist vessel, capsized in the river near Harinaghata Camp of Chandpai Range of the mangrove on 24 November last year.

Now the capsize spot has turned very risky for the plying of vessels as the sunken ship cannot be noticed from above the water surface, he said adding that almost half of the sunken ship have already gone under silts on the riverbed.

Since the capsize, the Forest Department has asked the owner of the ship to take immediate steps to remove it, but to no effect, he added.

Md Shamim Hasan, the owner of the sunken ship, said that he has already made a Tk 33 lakh contract with a firm to rescue the vessel, though the firm is yet to take any step in this connection.

Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) joint director (conservancy and pilotage) AKM Abul Bashar said it is the responsibility of the owner of the sunken ship to salvage it.

‘Although the owner could have availed of the BIWTA's assistance by paying a fixed charge, we haven't yet received any application from the owner in this connection,’ he said.

Bashar said the BIWTA will send a letter to the owner to take steps to salvage the ship from the river as soon as possible.

‘If the owner fails, the BIWTA will sell the ship in auction,’ he added.