Four killed in trawler capsize
Four women were killed and at least 15 people went missing as a trawler capsized at Morelganj upazila in Bagerhat yesterday.
The deceased are Beauty Begum, 38, wife of Mohsin Hossain of Kalikabari village, Piara Banu, 50, wife of Hashem Howlader of Guabaria village, Sufia Begum, 75, wife of Yunus Ali of Chingrakhali village, and Nadia Begum, 20, wife of Moazzem Hossain of Uttar Phulhata village of the upazila.
At least 30 other passengers were injured in the incident and five of them were shifted to Khulna Medical College Hospital as their condition deteriorated.
The Fire Service and Civil Defence, Coastguard, police and locals were trying to rescue the missing people as of filing of this report last evening.
Witnesses said the trawler with more than 100 passengers on board left the bank of the Panguchi river on Sholombaria bus stop side for Old Thana Ghat at Morelganj around 10:30am.
As the trawler was about to anchor, a speeding vessel heading for Mongla crossed the river creating huge waves. The trawler capsized due to strong current as well as the waves, witnesses said.
On information, firefighters from Morelganj, Khulna and Barisal, law enforcers and a team of Bangladesh Navy rushed to the spot to rescue the passengers.
Muhmmad Obaidur Rahman, upazila nirbahi officer (UNO) of Morelganj, said four bodies were recovered and at least 15 passengers remained unaccounted for.
The district administration of Bagerhat had formed a five-member probe committee headed by Md Mominur Rashid, additional district magistrate, said Tapan Kumar Biswas, deputy commissioner.
The committee had been asked to submit its report within three days, he added.
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