The Ministry of Shipping has formed a seven-member committee to probe the fire incident in a launch in Jhalakathi district.
The ministry's joint secretary Tofayel Ahmed has been made convener and deputy secretary Aminur Rahman member secretary of the committee.
The ministry senior information officer Md Zahangir Alam Khan confirmed the matter on Friday afternoon.
The probe body has been asked to submit the report within the next three working days, he said.
Earlier, Barguna-bound MV Abhijan-10 caught fire in the Sugandha river in Gabkhan Dhansiri area of Jhalakathi around 3 am today, leaving at least 40 people dead and several injured.
MU/SU