Five women drowned as an overcrowded tourist boat overturned in Rangamati's Kaptai Lake yesterday noon. 

In a separate incident, divers recovered the body of a child from Karnaphuli river while two other children were still missing after a tourist boat capsized yesterday. 

None of the boats had enough life jackets for passengers, said police, adding that all the deceased were from different areas in Chattogram.

Deceased in the Kaptai Lake incident are Rina Akhter, 32, Shila Akhter, 27, Asma, 22 and Afroza, 14 and Lima Akhter, 25, said Khan Nurul Islam, officer-in-charge (investigation) of Kotwali Police Station in Rangamati.

The incident took place around noon when the motor vessel with a capacity of carrying 20 passengers was heading towards Shubholong waterfall from Parjatan Ghat area in Rangamati town with around 30 passengers on board.

The boat suddenly tilted and turned upside down when it was crossing the DC bungalow area, said Sufi Ullah, additional superintendent of Rangamati police, adding that five people drowned in the incident while the others managed to swim ashore.

Divers of Bangladesh Navy recovered the bodies around 2:00pm and sent them to Rangamati General Hospital. 

Muhammad Abdur Rashid, one of the members of the tourist team, said around 50 of them came from Chattogram for sightseeing.

ONE DIED, TWO MISSING IN KAPTAI

Meanwhile, divers recovered the body of a minor girl from Karnaphuli river and were scouring the river for two other children till filing of the report last evening.

The deceased was identified as Debleela Majumder, 10, while the missing children are three-year-old Tumpa, and five-year-old Binoy.

The three went missing after a picnic boat capsized in the mid-rives around 12:30pm yesterday, said Muhammad Shafiul Ajom, inspector of Chandraghona Police Station.

Anwar Islam Baby, chairman of Kaptai Union Parishad, said the boat was carrying more passengers than its capacity.  

Deputy Commissioner of Rangamati AKM Mamunur Rashid yesterday said "From tomorrow, no boats will be allowed to sail without ensuring life jackets for every passenger."

Boats without fitness would not be allowed either, the DC told reporters during an emergency meeting at his office.