In the 250-page report, the committee blamed the vessel's faulty design, overloading and its skipper's inadequate professional skill for the country's worst launch disaster that killed some 600 people on the midnight of July 8.

Shafiqul Islam, engineer and ship surveyor of the Department of Shipping, headed the three-member probe body.

The report also recommended 38 points of action including enactment of laws providing for severe punishment for rules violation and installation of other compliance mechanisms in order to avoid such mishaps in future.

Shipping ministry sources said the report strongly recommended for a set of new provisions to be incorporated into the existing laws to ensure that launch designers, owners, masters and relevant official comply with the rules of navigation as well as design specifications and maintenance of vessels.

The committee recommended severe punishment for violators including devious ship owners, designers and irresponsible officials of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA).

The report included a specific recommendation to fire two officials of BIWTA and Department of Shipping -- Engineer Abdus Salam, a vessel designer of BIWTA and Abdul Mannan, supervisor of the Department of Shipping.

Recommendations to set up mobile courts at different points of the river routes and three marine courts in Chittagong, Khulna and Barisal were included in the report to check overloading and transport of cargo in passenger vessels.

Twenty-two inspectors of launches were also advised to exercise more caution in their duty and intensify vigilance at Sadarghat terminal. Punishment was recommended for lax inspection practices.

The report suggested that vessels, 20 years or older, should ply only during the day.

Commissioning of salvage ships with modern equipment at Aricha, Chandpur, Mongla, Chittagong and Sunamganj points was the other salient feature of the report.