Power of Supreme Court to consolidate claims against owners, etc.
472. Where any liability is alleged to have been incurred by the owner of a ship, whether a Bangladesh ship or not, in respect of any occurrence for which his liability is limited under section 471 and several claims are made or apprehended in respect of that liability, the Supreme Court, on an application made in this behalf by the owner, may-
(a) determine the amount of the owner's liability,
(b) distribute that amount rateably among the several claimants,
(c) stay any proceedings pending in any other Court in relation to the same matters, and
(d) proceed in such manner and procedure as the Supreme Court may deem fit as to-
(i) making persons interested parties to the proceedings,
(ii) the exclusion of any claimants who do not come in within a certain time,
(iii) the requiring security from the owner, and
(iv) the payment of costs.