Mary Anderson (yacht)

Mary Anderson was a luxury yacht built in 1933. It was the former official yacht of the governor of Bengal and then the President of Bangladesh. Then converted into a floating restaurant which burned down in 2014.[1]

History

Mary Anderson was built in 1933 by the Calcutta Shipyard. It was named State Yacht Mary Anderson after the daughter of John Anderson, 1st Viscount Waverley, the governor of Bengal from 1932 to 1937. It was built at a cost of Rs 1,24,702.00 for the Governor of Bengal. After the partition of India in 1947 the yacht became the official yacht of the Governor of East Bengal. Following the Independence of Bangladesh in 1971, the yacht became the official yacht of the President of Bangladesh. In 1978, the President of Bangladesh, Ziaur Rahman, donated the yacht to the Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation, a state owned tourism corporation.It was inaugurated by Senior Minister Mashiur Rahman Jadu Miah in 1978. [2]

Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation decided to convert the yacht into a floating restaurant which was opened on 24 September 1978. The restaurant proved to be popular among tourists.[2] It had a seating capacity of 72 people and dining capacity of 24 people.[3] It was a paddle boat and the first floating restaurant of Bangladesh. The government of Bangladesh announced plans to renovate it in 2004.[4] The VIP jetty of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation was called the Mary Anderson Jetty.[5][6] It was based in Buriganga River at Pagla Jetty in Narayanganj District. On 16 October 2014, the vessel burned down due to a fire originating at the bar on the lower deck.[7][8] On 12 February 2017, the Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation launched the Sonargaon Bhasoman Restaurant and Bar which took the place of Mary Anderson.[9]

References
  1. "Floating restaurant Mary Anderson catches fire". The Daily Observer. Dhaka. Retrieved 17 July 2018.
  2. Islam, Sirajul. "Mary Anderson". en.banglapedia.org. Banglapedia. Retrieved 17 July 2018.
  3. Karim Murshed, Sabrina. "Parjatan's Ashulia river cruise fails to attract tourists". The Daily Star. Retrieved 17 July 2018.
  4. "Mary Anderson to be modernised". The Daily Star. BSS. Retrieved 17 July 2018.
  5. "Stories". The Daily Star. Retrieved 17 July 2018.
  6. "Renovated Lifebuoy floating hospital reopens". The Daily Star. Retrieved 17 July 2018.
  7. "Fire burns down BTC's floating restaurant Mary Anderson". bdnews24.com. Retrieved 17 July 2018.
  8. "Fire guts Mary Anderson restaurant in Narayanganj". New Age. Retrieved 17 July 2018.
  9. "Sonargaon floating restaurant opens at Pagla". The Bangladesh Monitor. Retrieved 17 July 2018.
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