Dhaka, Apr 15 (bdnews24.com) — And one thought, it was just a casual nap! The two Bangladeshi workers recovered at a Singapore port had actually fallen asleep under the influence of 'grass' (marijuana) that they consumed at Chittagong port.
The only survivor, Din Islam, 30, told a local Bengali newspaper 'Banglar Kantha' editor that they started their journey on Apr 1, not Mar 21 as reported earlier, and reached Pasir Panjang Port Terminal five days later. The container stayed there five more days and was about to be reloaded onto another vessel bound for Vietnam.
Islam told A K M Mohsin, the newspaper editor, that he and the other, 'Alamgir', 30, went into the empty container to smoke ganja or marijuana. As they were on a 'high', the duo dozed off and could not hear the container being locked, and the ship—Hansa Caledo—started for Singapore, a local newspaper The Straits Times reported on Friday.
Their desperate cries went unheard as the container was buried among thousands of steel containers at the Singapore port.
By this time, Islam's companion had died due to suffocation. Police discovered Islam and the corpse on Sunday night, and the former was taken to Alexandra Hospital. Mohsin said that throughout the period, they had no food or water. Their only source of air was the holes where the screws in the container were fitted.
"They could breathe, but the air was dank and stale. After fighting for several days, his friend breathed his last, saying, 'I'm gone'."Mohsin also said that Islam could not give any phone number or his address clearly.
After being discharged from the hospital on Wednesday, Islam was taken in by an organisation called Transient Workers Count Too, a local charity that helps migrant workers.
Meanwhile, the High Commission of Bangaldesh in Singapore is handling the matter and said would help in his returning home.
Chittagong Port Authority has also formed a four-strong investigation panel to look into the matter. Committee chief Captain Nazmul Alam, while speaking to The Straits Times on Thursday, termed the matter 'an accident'.
Captain Nazmul Alam, also deputy conservator of the port, said, "As far as I can see, it was not planned. It was just an accident. Nobody really goes to Singapore this way."
He also said the team that started its work on Thursday held talks with the officials of Hansa Caledo on Friday. Capt Nazmul also stressed that the case was definitely not related to any security sabotage.
Other members of the committee are deputy director (security) Lt Commander Akram Hossain, terminal manager Enam Ahmed and chief auditor Habibur Rahman.
The two men lived in villages on the outskirts of Chittagong. Alamgir was not married, while Islam has a one-year-old son and said he lived with his wife, father, mother and two brothers.
A spokesman of the high commission told The Straits Times that Islam would remain in Singapore to assist police inquiry in Alamgir's death.