UNB, Narayanganj :
The death toll from the launch capsize in the Sitalakkhya River rose to 34 with the recovery of five more bodies on Monday night and Tuesday morning.
Shahzaman, officer-in-charge of Sadar Police Station, said police recovered the bodies from different parts of the river.
The deceased were identified as Kazi Yusuf, 40 of Munshiganj district, Tanvir Hossain Gridoy, 17, a 1styear student of Riazuddin College in the capital’s Mirpur area, Mohammad Shohagh 25, son of Sirajul Islam of Lalmatia in the capital, Rizvi Ahmed, 21 of Malpara Munshiganj and Akash Shaha, 11, son of Haradhan Shaha of Munshiganj district.
Munshiganj-bound launch ML Rabit Al Hasan was carrying around 50 passengers when it capsized after being hit by an oil-laden tanker around 6pm on Sunday in Narayanganj. Police said the oil tanker could not be seized.
Around 20 passengers managed to swim ashore after the collision. Five bodies were recovered that night.
Golam Maula Sadeque, chairman of Bangladesh Inland and Water Transport Authority (BIWTA), said divers from local Fire Service and Coast Guard managed to salvage the sunken launch with the help of a salvage ship and recovered 21 more bodies from it at noon.
Upazila Health Officer (UNO) Nahida Barik handed over the bodies to their families at 2pm. A total of 29 bodies have been recovered till Monday, said UNO Nahida Barik.
Two separate probe bodies were formed by Narayanganj Deputy Commissioner and the BIWTA under the Shipping Ministry to look into the incident.
Police identified the deceased as Runa Aktar, 24, Soleman Bepari, 60, his wife Bebi Begum, 55, Sunita Saha, 40, her sons Bikash Saha, 22, Anik Saha, 12, Sakhina, 45, Bithi, 18, her daughter Arifa, 1, Pratima Shwarma, 50, Shamsuddin, 90, his wife Rehena Begum, 65, Md Jakir, 45, Hafizur Rahman, 24, his wife Tahmina, 20, their son Abdullah, 1, Narayan Das, 65, his wife Parboti Rani Das, 45, Saiful, 45, Ajmir, 15, Shah Alam Mridha, 55, Jakir Hossain, 45, Moharani, 37, Anowar Hossain, 45, Maksuda Begum, 30, her daughter Mansura, 7, Rizvi, 20 and Dola Begum, 34 and Sauda Aktar Lata, 18.
