Lighter Vessel Carrying 18,500 Bags of Cement Sinks in Meghna River

A lighter vessel belonging to Shah Cement Company, carrying 18,500 bags of cement, sank in the Meghna River in Chandpur on Thursday, August 14, 2025. The incident occurred in the morning near the Dokanghar area of Chandpur Sadar Upazila. Chandpur Naval Police Superintendent Syed Mushfiqur Rahman confirmed the incident to Kalbela.

According to sources, the vessel, named MV Chandtara-8, was anchored when it was struck by another vessel, MV Zaman, which was dragging its anchor due to strong currents. The collision caused the engine room of MV Chandtara-8 to rupture, allowing water to flood in. The vessel’s master attempted to steer it toward the riverbank, but the ship, along with its 18,500 bags of cement, completely sank. No casualties were reported, and all crew members are safe.

Chandpur Naval Police Superintendent Syed Mushfiqur Rahman told Kalbela that the incident occurred due to the master’s error and incompetence. He explained that the master attempted to navigate the vessel toward Abhoynagar in Jessore while dragging the anchor in strong currents, leading to the collision with another vessel. Bashir Ali Khan, Deputy Director of the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) in Chandpur, informed Kalbela that a marking team from Chandpur reached the site and identified the sunken vessel. The vessel’s superstructure is submerged under approximately 10 feet of water, and it is located outside the navigation channel. Efforts are underway to mark the vessel with a GRP buoy.

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