PATUAKHALI: Authorities concerned cancelled the route permit of passenger launch Kuakata-1 of the Dhaka-Patuakhali route on Saturday on charge of overloading of passengers.

The cancellation came after the authorities received a copy of court order following a case filed with the marine court on the matter.

Abduar Razzak, an officer at Patuakhali river port, lodged the lawsuit.

Sources said the launch left the port for Dhaka carrying more passengers. Later, port authorities informed the launch owner and then the launch was brought back to the jetty.

After extra passengers were forced to get down from the launch, it set sail for Dhaka.

Launch owner Abul Kalam told banglanews that extra passengers were dropped off after we had come to know the matter, we did not understand why this step has been taken.

Port sources said several launches including Bipras-2, Sundarban-6 and Saykat have been playing overloaded with passengers than their seat capacity on the route during Eid and Puja vacation.

BDST: 1307 HRS, OCT 11, 2014