He said this while presiding over a high-level meeting of the ministry at its conference room, an official handout said.

The minister asked for forming vigilance teams for different areas of the country with the officials of the ministry, BIWTA, BIWTC and the Department of Shipping to verify the valid documents of the launches and cargoes and other irregularities.

The teams, each of which will include one magistrate, will be empowered to take instant action against any irregularities. Activities of the vigilance teams will be carried out across the country concurrently and they will submit reports to the ministry by July 1, 2005.

The meeting directed the Department of Shipping to report whether any of the previously classified D-category launches are being operated and if faultiness in the design of those launches was modified before giving the survey certificate.

The minister instructed the Department of Shipping to complete all preparatory works to make functional the local classification society by July 1, which was entrusted with the duty of giving approval of the design of the vessels and looking into the fitness of the vessels during construction.

Secretary of the ministry M Rafiqul Islam, Chairman of BIWTA Reaz Hasan Khandakar, Chairman of BIWTC Shamsur Rahman Shimul Biswas and Director General of the Department of Shipping Captain AKM Shafikullah attended the meeting.