One drowns in trawler capsize

A woman drowned when a trawler capsized in the Kumar river at Ghatmaji of Madaripur Sadar upazila last night.

The dead is Bhanu Bala, 65.

Locals claimed that several others had gone missing after the boat went down.  

They rescued Bhanu and took her to Madaripur Sadar Hospital where doctors declared her dead.

Four other injured were admitted there.

Ziaul Morshed, officer-in-charge of Madaripur Police Station, said the trawler carrying around 100 Hindu devotees sank in the river after being hit by another trawler around 8:00pm.

Boarding the trawler, the people of Kalagachi village were celebrating the holy Janmashtami, said Pranatosh Mondol, convener of Madaripur Puja Udjapan Parishad. The accident happened when they were returning after the celebration, he added.

Many passengers managed to swim ashore, reports a correspondent from Madaripur, quoting witnesses.

Police and Madaripur fire service and civil defence were at the spot, said Ratan Kumar Das, a leader of Madaripur Puja Udjapan Parishad.