Staff Reporter :
The death toll from the engine-run boat accident in the Karatoa River rose to 50 from the previous figure 24 while over 40 people were missing till Monday.
Local administration and police sources said that over 40 other people were missing after the accident as per the report of the family members and relatives and the death toll may rise.
Hundreds of local people along with family members and relatives were seen standing on the banks of the Karatoa River for the recovery of the bodies of the missing persons.
The relatives didn’t know whether they would get back the missing family members as it had been come clear for them that they have lost their dear ones. But at least they wanted to get their bodies.
The divers recovered 23 new bodies from the river through intensive rescue operation. Local people and divers rescued 24 bodies on Sunday soon after the accident, the local administration said.
“Our rescue operation on following the missing list,” Md Soleman Ali, Upazila Nirbahi Officer of Boda, told The New Nation on Monday.
“We have a missing list of more than 50 people. We are verifying the list so that the exact figure can be obtained to carry out the operation smoothly,” he added.
Of the identified deceased were Poly Rani, 14, Laxmi Rani, 25, Amal Chandra, 35, Dipankar, 5, Priyanta Rani, 5, Khuki Rani, 35, Promila Rani, 55, Tara Rani, 24, Shoneka Rani, 60, Falguni Rani, 55, Promila Rani, 70, Dhanbala, 47, Sumitra Rani, 57, Safalata Rani, 40, Shimla Rani, 35, boatman Hasan Ali, 52, Ushoshi Rani, 2, Tanusri Rani, 2, Bimol Chandra, 35, Shyamoli Rani, 35, Jotish Chandra, 55, and Rupali Rani, 35.
The local administration said that the bodies have been handed over to their respective family members after verification. The Deputy Commissioner’s office announced a compensation of Tk 20,000 for each deceased on Sunday.
Meanwhile, the Department of Shipping (DoS) on Monday formed a three-member probe committee headed by Engineer and Ship Surveyor of Narayanganj of DoS Ahatasanul Hoque Fakir. The committee was asked to submit a report within 15 working days.
On Sunday, the engine-run boat packed with overloaded passengers including women and children capsized around 1:30pm at Aulia Ghat in Marea Union of Boda upazila, Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Boda Police Station Sujoy Kumar Roy said.
He said that the boat capsized when it was heading for Badeshwari temple in Barashashi Union for the Mahalaya rituals ahead of the beginning of the Hindu festival Durga Puja.
Soon after the accident, many swam to the Karatoa bank while the locals rushed for their rescue before the arrival of the firefighting units.
The divers continued their operations and searched different parts of the river to find out the missing people.
At least eight units of the Fire Services from nearby districts including Panchagarh were working for the rescue operation, Assistant Deputy Director of Fire Service and Civil Defence Sheikh Md Mahabubul Alam said. Nine other divers from Rangpur, Kurigram and Rajshahi also took part in the operation.
Earlier, on Sunday, a-five member probe committee headed by Additional District Magistrate Othoi Aditya was formed and asked to submit the report within seven working days.
A pall of gloom is prevailing in the area and the houses of the deceased are full of screaming for the loss of their family members in the tragic accident.
According to the Department of Shipping, in 2021, at least 39 accidents took place when 146 people were killed while it was 81 people who were killed in 32 accidents in 2020.
Experts said that accidents of boats, vessels, trawlers or ships occur in different rivers of the country every year due to overloading, absence of fitness and lack of safety regulation.
