DHAKA: The High Court on Sunday issued a rule upon the government to explain within four week why directive “should not be given to form a high-level national committee over Pinak-6 launch capsize”.

An HC bench comprising Justice Mainul Islam Chowdhury and Justice M Ashraful Kamal passed the order after hearing a writ petition.

The stakeholders, including the shipping ministry secretary and shipping directorate director general, were made respondents to the rule within four weeks.

On August 19, national security committee for river, road and railway convener Ashish Kumar Dey and Citizen Rights Movement general secretary Tusar Rahman filed the writ petition over the launch accident and rescue failure.

The launch, Pinak-6, was carrying more than 200 passengers capsized in the river Padma near Mawa Ghat in Lohajang upazila of Munshiganj district on July 4.

BDST: 2010 HRS, SEP 7, 2014