Meghna trawler capsize death toll rises to three, 5 still missing

High tide in the river is affecting the rescue operation, a Kishoreganj Fire Service official says

Two more bodies have been recovered after a trawler struck by a sand-laden cargo vessel capsized in the Meghna River in Brahmanbaria, taking the death toll to three. Five other passengers are still missing.

Rescuers recovered the bodies of a woman and a teenage girl in the vicinity of the accident site near Bhairab around 2pm on Saturday, said Enamul Haque, deputy director at Kishoreganj Fire Service.

However, the victims could not be identified immediately.

The incident occurred in the Char Sonarampur area of Brahmanbaria’s Ashuganj Upazila on Friday evening, said Azizul Haque Rajan, a station officer working for the Bhairab Bazar Fire Service.

Several people took a trawler from under the Bhairab Bridge to travel along the Meghna River around 6pm. It collided with the freight vessel in the Char Sonarampur area and sank in the river just before Iftar, Rajan said.

Around 12 passengers swam ashore while eight others went missing. The body of an unidentified woman was recovered afterwards.

Bhairab Highway Police Station Constable Sohel Rana, 32, his wife Mousumi, 25, the couple’s daughter Mahmuda, 7, and son Raisul, 5, Araddha, Belal Dey and Anika Akter were among the missing passengers.

The Bhairab Fire Service and Navy personnel subsequently launched a rescue operation after the incident was reported. Rescue efforts were suspended late that night, Rajan said.

The rescue work resumed again around 6am on Saturday, said Abu Jar Gifari, senior station officer at Kishoreganj Fire Service.

High tide in the river is affecting the rescue efforts, he added.