Online Desk  :   Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) has revealed that seven crew members of a cargo vessel in the Meghna River were brutally hacked to death after being drugged by a former colleague, Akash Mondol, also known as Irfan. The murders allegedly stemmed from long-standing grievances over unpaid salaries and mistreatment. Lt Col Munim Ferdous, director of the RAB Media Wing, stated that Irfan orchestrated the murders out of anger towards the vessel’s master, Golam Kibria. Reports suggest that Kibria withheld salaries for eight months.

Akash has already been arrested from Chitauri area of Bagerhat. At the time, a pair of hand gloves, a bag, empty strips of sleeping pills, five mobile phones used by the murdered victims, a total of seven mobile phones, and a blood-stained pair of jeans were recovered from him. The incident occurred on 23 December when the cargo vessel “MV Al-Bakhera,” carrying eight people, was attacked in the Meghna River near Chandpur.  The vessel, owned by HP Enterprise, was later found in the Ishanbala area of Majherchar under Haimchar upazila.

The deceased were identified as the vessel’s master Golam Kibria, driver Salauddin Molla, greaser Sajibul Islam, lascars Sheikh Sabuj, cook Rana Kazi, Majedul Islam, and Aminul Islam Munshi. Jewel, the lone survivor, somehow managed to escape the massacre. Following the incident, the Ministry of Industries formed an investigation committee to investigate the tragic incident. The ministry expressed deep condolences for the victims and assured their families of justice. The investigation committee was tasked with submitting a detailed report within five working days, with clear findings on the causes of the killings, the extent of damages, and recommendations for preventing similar incidents in the future.