Two teams of the Marine Court carried out raids on the river route from Sadarghat to Fatullah, and in Narayanganj areas. First Class Magistrates Fazlur Rahman and Abdur Rahim led the teams during the raid, said sources.

Eight sand-laden cargo vessels were seized during the raid on the water route between Sadarghat and Fatullah. Each of the vessels was fined Tk 30,000 for plying the river route without registration and survey certificates. The team led by Abdur Rahim also arrested eight employees of those vessels.

"They would be released if the owner of the vessels pay the fine. Otherwise, they would be sentenced to up to two years," Rahim told The Daily Star over telephone yesterday evening.

He said they also inspected two passenger launches but did not find any faults.

The other team led by Magistrate Fazlur Rahman raided Narayanganj area and seized six vessels. Of those, one vessel was fined Tk 30,000 and the other five Tk 20,000 each. Employees of two of the vessels claimed to have survey certificates and registration but could not produce those at that time.

The government launched the clampdown on river vessels with a view to ensuring discipline and order in the shipping sector following a series of launch disasters in the country, said sources.

On the first day, 30 cargo vessels were seized and fined for plying the waterways without necessary documents.