Staff Reporter :At least twelve bodies were recovered from a trawler that capsized in Arial Khan river at Baricha area under Raipura upazila in the district of Narsingdi on Saturday. The bodies include six children and three old women. Survivors of the tragedy alleged that the trawler was capsized due to carrying passengers beyond capacity. Police, quoting local sources, also said that the accident occurred due to overloading. Local people fear that, about 15-20 persons might have been drowned due to the tragedy, but the local police station did not confirm about the exact number of victims. Our Narsingdi Correspondent said the dead were identified as Bibi Malderunnesa, 75 and her grandson Yasin Mia, 7, hailed from Char Dewan. Fulesa Begum, 55, of Char Marjal and Rakib Mia, 12, son of Rafiqul Islam, resident of Baricha. Others were Marjia Begum, 3, Samrat Mia, 8, Sumaiya Akter, 5, Jarin Akter, 8, Rabbi, 10, and Mala Begum, 25 — all were inhabitants of same area.Quoting eyewitnesses, Officer-in-Charge of Raipura Police Station Azharul Islam said, “The trawler capsized at the ghat due to overloading. Twelve persons died in the accident.” Local sources said two trawlers with more than 100 men, women and children led by Baricha Union Parishad member Abdul Hai were going to Gani Shah Mazar at Baroikandi area under Nabi Nagr upazila in Brahmmanbaria district at about 10:45am. The first trawler carrying 40/50 passengers started from Jongi Shibpur Bazar ghat. Another trawler carrying 60/70 passengers started for destination about 11:00am. The boat sank in the water just within a few minutes of its journey. Most of the adult passengers managed to come to the shore by swimming. But the women and children faced severe obstacle due to high tide. Hearing scream of passengers of other nearby boats, local people rushed to the spot and rescued some of them. But they could not effectively continue the search due to strong wind. Getting information, Additional Deputy Commissioner [General] Khandaker Nurul Haque, Upazila Nirbahi Officer Abdul Matin, OC of Raipura Azharul Islam quickly went to the spot and oversaw the rescue operation. Later, a four-member team of divers led by Inspector Mohsin Pradhan of Fire Service and Civil Defence [FSCD] came to the ill-fated place. Before that, some FSCD boats were engaged there to help the local rescuers. Deputy Commissioner of Narsingdi Abu Hena Morshed Zaman announced that each of the nine victims’ family will be given Taka 5000 and 20 KG rice immediately. Besides, the body of the victims could be buried without postmortem.
