Death toll of Jhalakathi launch fire rise to 49

The death toll from last month's deadly launch fire in Jhalakathi district rose to 49 on Monday as another man succumbed to his injuries at the Sheikh Hasina National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery.

Russel, 38, breathed his last at noon at the hospital, said Coordinator of the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery Dr Samanta Lal Sen.

The fire broke out on the Barguna-bound launch carrying some 800 passengers from Dhaka and it engulfed the entire vessel within 10 minutes on December 24, reports UNB.

On December 26, the chief inspector of the Department of Shipping Shafiqur Rahman filed a case against eight people, including four owners of the launch, under the Marine Act with the Marine Court.