Rescuers have so far recovered 12 bodies from the Surma river in Sunamganj after a boat caught fire and sank on Monday night.
The police and fire service divers along with locals resumed rescue operation on Tuesday morning after the fog cleared, Sunamgnaj’s Superintendent of Police (SP) Harunur Rashid said.
The boat sank at around 9pm. Six bodies were recovered until 3am, when the rescue work was stopped due to heavy fog and cold.
Five more bodies were found on Tuesday morning, said Sub-station Officer of Chhatak Fire Service Md Tareque. One of the deceasedd, a female, has been identified as ‘Rokeya’, he said.
Tareque said the recovered bodies were hard to recognise, as they had been severely burnt. There are two minors among the dead, according to rescue-workers.
Most of the passengers of the ill-fated boat were workers of a stone quarry at Sunamganj’s Chhatak Upazila. They were heading for Kishoreganj’s Nikly, Mithamoin Upazilas and Netrokona’s Khaliajhuri Upazila, according to SP Rashid. The boat with 15-20 children and women on board caught fire from a stove and sank as the passengers panicked and triggered a stampede. It sank at Pratapapur in Sunamganj’s Doarabazar Upazila. Around 40-45 passengers managed to swim ashore, but more than 50 others are still missing, rescue operators and locals say. Doyarabazar Police’s Sub-inspector Harun said they apprehend the death toll could rise.
