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The sepoy went missing while attempting to rescue the capsizing boat
Published : 23 Mar 2025, 03:31 PM
The body of a Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) trooper has been recovered after he went missing while attempting to rescue a capsizing Rohingya boat entering Bangladesh near the coast in Cox’s Bazar’s Teknaf.
The body of Mohammad Belal, 28, was found on the West Paschim Para Beach Point on Shah Porir Dwip in Sabrang Union around 12:15pm on Sunday, according to Lt Col Md Ashikur Rahman, captain of the BGB Teknaf-2 Battalion. He had been assigned to the Shah Porir Dwip Border Outpost.
The death takes the toll from the boat capsize to five, according to Abdul Mannan, a local government official. The other victims include a Rohingya child and three women. Several people are still missing.
However, Bangladesh’s border security force managed to rescue 25 people from the capsize on Friday.
Coast Guard and BGB personnel brought Belal's body to the beach dock. It was then taken by the BGB on an ambulance.
The body is being sent to Cox's Bazar District Sadar Hospital for an autopsy, Lt Col Ashikur said.
BGB spokesperson Shariful Islam had told bdnews24.com at the time that the boat was heading towards Bangladesh via sea around 2:30am on Friday.
"Near Shah Porir Dwip, the boat began to sink after its hull cracked. Hearing the cries of the passengers, a nearby BGB patrol team rushed to the scene.
Abdul Gafur, general secretary of the fishermen’s association at the Shah Porir Dwip Pashchim Para Jetty, said: “The boat sank in the dead of night. By evening, the bodies of four people had been recovered.'"
“Search operations are under way to find the missing individuals,” said Teknaf Upazila Executive Officer (UNO) Sheikh Ahsan Uddin.
