Bangladeshi rockets

[Paulrjordan]

--- In Paddleducks@yahoogroups.com, "brianmpeck" <brianp@n...> wrote:
(SNIP)
> Also, has anyone else noted the article on the BBC news website
> (under South Asia) about Bangladesh's paddle steamers. It's
> called "Rocket power on Bangladesh rivers". Kind of interesting
> though lacking good pictures.
>
> Brian

Wow Brian! Thanks for a great link. The article is fascinating and
I'd love to find out more of the history of these river "rockets".
The article states "Six times a week the MV Mahsud, or one of her
four sister ships, set off from Dhaka as dusk closes in over the
Buriganga river." Are all the "sister ships" paddlers too?

I also see the "MAHSUD" is referred to as a M.V. suggesting she is
probably diesel powered. Not a pretty ship by any conventional
standards but a paddler nevertheless! I wonder who built these ships
and when as their forbears would have been neighbours of the
Irrawaddy Flotilla in Burma.

I had heard of the Bangladeshi ferries and their frightful safety
record with more than 3,000 people having died in about 260 ferry
accidents in Bangladesh since 1977. I had do idea there were still
paddlers down there.

For those who would like to take a look here's the link:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/3503064.stm

Thanks again Brian, excellent link.

PJ

[Alistair Deayton]

The Rocket steamers were originally steam, but were converted to diesel some
20-30 years ago. I know of the TERN, OSTRICH and another one which were all
built by Denny of Dumbarton, There is one stem one left, KIWI, which only
sees service at the busiest time of the year at the main Muslim Festivals
There are photos in the photo pages of the Ferriesoutsideeurope Yahoo group,
and a message there from an Australian who sailed on them a year or two ago.
The ferries that sink in Bangladesh are mainly, I think, very basic river
ferries of a few planks lashed together with an outboard which people crown
on with no thought for safety

Alistair Deayton