Online Desk  :   An eight-member probe committee has been formed to investigate the fire incident in two ships carrying liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) at Kutubdia point of the Bay of Bengal, officials said. The Chittagong Port Authority formed the committee following the directive of Shipping and Textiles Adviser Brigadier General (retd) M Sakhawat Hossain. Commodore M Fazlar Rahman, a member of the Chittagong Port Authority (Harbor and Marine), will lead the investigation committee.

Other members are Captain Md Faridul Alam, Deputy Conservator at Chittagong Port; Navy Commander Rafiqul Islam; Coast Guard Lt Commander Md Rakibul Islam Tanveer; Lt Md Noor Ashraful Aziz from DGFI; a designated representative from NSI; a designated representative from the Fire Service & Civil Defence; and Captain Sayed Ahmed, Controller of the Maritime Education (CC) Directorate of Shipping in Chittagong. The committee has been tasked to submit its report within the next five working days.

Its objectives include determining the cause of the fire in MT Captain Nicholas and B-LPG Sofia, assessing the international standards for LPG transportation, assessing the suitability of the transported LPG, determining damages and liability arising from the incident, and formulating recommendations to prevent similar accidents in the future. The committee may also review any related matters and submit its findings. Earlier, the “B-LPG Sofia” lighter vessel caught fire after an explosion when it was at the outer anchorage of the Chittagong Port around 1am.

Later, members of the Coast Guard and Bangladesh Navy rescued 31 people from the vessel. The Shipping Adviser has expressed deep concern over the recent incidents of fires on ships and has instructed authorities to enhance security measures for vessels, emphasizing the need for maximum.