Four bodies stuck at terminal for three days as Hatia cut off due to rough Meghna

Victims include a former vice chairman of Hatia Upazila Parishad, who died from electrocution

Hatia has remained cut off from mainland Noakhali after the Meghna River turned rough amid adverse weather, stranding four bodies at the river terminal for three days.

The bodies were eventually transported to the island on Friday afternoon in a government vessel under special arrangements.

Hatia Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO), or Upazila Executive Officer, Md Alauddin said the four bodies were carried from Chairman Ghat to Nalchira Ghat, on the northern bank of the Meghna, around 4:30pm by a government vessel named Bay Cruise-1.

The bodies had been stuck in an ambulance at Chairman Ghat since Wednesday afternoon.

Amid deteriorating weather conditions, the Upazila administration suspended all vessel movement to and from Hatia from 12pm on Wednesday, severing river links between the island and the district headquarters as well as the rest of the country.

Among the dead was Anwarul Azim Raju, 70, former vice chairman of Hatia Upazila Parishad, who had died from electrocution.

The victims’ families had sought help from the administration to arrange the burials.

Access to Hatia from the mainland requires crossing the Meghna River, a journey that typically takes just over an hour.

“Under special consideration, we allowed the bodies to be transported across the river from Chairman Ghat to Nalchira Ghat,” UNO Alauddin said. “The suspension on vessel movement, however, will remain in place until the weather improves.”

Relatives had been waiting in advance at Nalchira Ghat to receive the bodies.

After being taken ashore, the bodies were transported by road to Oshkhali in Hatia.

From there, they were taken to their villages for burial, according to relatives.