6 people feared dead as boat sinks in Bangladesh

By SM Najmus Sakib

DHAKA, Bangladesh (AA) - At least six people are feared dead after a bulkhead struck a passenger boat in the Meghna River in central Munshiganj area in Bangladesh on Friday evening, according to an official.

The incident happened in the Gazaria town area of the district. The passenger vessel was carrying a total of 11 people. Of them, five people were rescued immediately, Mohammad Moniruzzaman, Gazaria Fire Service and Civil Defense station officer, told Anadolu.

Among the missing, four are children and two are women, added Zaman, who led the rescue operation.

Details about the passengers could not be immediately obtained. The fire service also could not trace the bulkhead promptly, the fire service official said.

He said the rescue operation was suspended due to heavy current in the river and it was not possible to continue the rescue operation in night with existing manpower.

“A high power rescue team is expected to resume rescue operations on Saturday morning. By then we have little hope of rescuing anyone alive,” he added.

Bangladesh is crisscrossed by more than 500 rivers. The Meghna River is one of the major rivers in Bangladesh that emerges from the world's largest Ganges Delta.

Seasonal natural calamities such as storms and cyclones, foggy weather in winter, lack of vessel fitness, unskilled drivers and overloading have been identified as the main causes of such accidents.

According to the records of the Shipping Department of Bangladesh, more than 550 passenger ships capsized between 1991 and 2020, killing over 3,600 people and leaving nearly 500 people missing.