Fun trip turns into tragedy

At least 17 people drowned as a boat capsized in Gobindasree Haor in Madan upazila of Netrokona yesterday.

Forty-eight people were on the boat and enjoying a post-Eid get-together programme before the accident took place around 12:00 noon, said police.

The victims are teachers, students and guardians of Kunapara Markajul Sunna Madrasa in Sadar upazila of Mymensingh, said AKM Manirul Islam, additional superintendent of Mymensingh police.

Shamsul Islam, sub-inspector of Madan Police Station, said 17 bodies were recovered as of 4:30 pm. The divers of fire service conducted the rescue operation there.

Freedom fighter Idris Ali lost his eldest son in the boat capsize. The 85-year-old was wailing, "Even yesterday I was telling my son that he might have had to say my Janaza prayers soon as I was not doing well."

The people who died in the incident are Hafez Maulana Md Mahfuzur Rahman, 35, principal (Mohtamim), his two sons Masqur Hasan, 11, and Mahbub Hasan, 17, both madrsa students; Mahfuz's niece Lubana Akter, 12, and Julfa Akter, 9; Maulana Zakir Hossain, 25, Mujahid, 16, and Hafez Jubayer, 25; Hafez Maulana Hamidul Islam, 35, Saiful islam Ratan, 30, Jahidul Islam, 20, Shafiqul Islam, 40, Shahidul Islam, 35, and Ichha Mia, 40.

All of them hailed from Konapara and its adjacent villages in Char Sirta union of Mymensingh Sadar upazila.

Meanwhile, the death toll in two other boat capsize incidents in Manikganj and Habiganj rose to eight.

In Manikganj, the divers of fire service recovered bodies of two children from Mandatta Beel in Daulatpur Upazila of Manikganj yesterday morning, 18 hours after a boat capsized there.

Previously, three bodies were recovered from the spot.

Rezaul Karim, officer-in-charge of Daulatpur Police Station, said no one else remained missing in the boat capsize incident after the two children's bodies were recovered.

In Habiganj, the death toll rose to three in the boat capsized incident in Rahmatpur Panchkari Haor. The dead are of the same family.

Baniachang Upazila Nirbahi Officer Masud Rana said police recovered the bodies as soon as the news broke out.