Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) organised the training.

BIWTA director (Operation and Transport) Motahar Hossain presided the opening ceremony of the training course where participants were being imparted training on safe navigation of water vessels and related issues.

More than 3,000 lives were lost in 46 major launch accidents since liberation of the country.

The training was organised as part of BIWTA's new initiative by to impart training on navigation to at least 1,500 crew at 12 ports across the country, said BIWTA officials.

A centre to impart short course training to crew will be established in Barisal in near future, they disclosed.

Sunil Kanti Bose, chairman of BIWTA, Bijon Kanti Sarkar, divisional commissioner, Mosharraf Hossain Bhuiya , addition deputy inspector general of police, Lokman Hakim, deputy commissioner of Barisal Metropolitan Police, Golam Mawla, district president of district launch owners' association and vice president of central launch owners association, Nasimul Alam, former president of Barisal Journalists' Union and Reporters' Unity addressed the inaugural ceremony.

About 60 crew, ansars and fire fighters are participating in the training course.