Death toll rises to 16

With recovery of one more body yesterday, the death toll from Tuesday's boat capsize the Shoilchapra haor in Dharmapasha upazila of Sunamganj district rose to 16.
The body found yesterday is of Zaria Begum, 15, daughter of Abdul Quddus of Balijuri village. She was a student of Badshaganj Girls' High School.
Separate mourning processions were brought out yesterday by the students of Badshaganj Boys and Badshaganj Girls High schools. They also arranged condolence meetings, milad and doa mahfils.
The small engine boat with over 50 passengers aboard sank in the haor at around 9:30am due to overloading and strong current in the haor.
All the passengers were from Balijuri heading towards Shelborosh of the upazila, said Upazila Chairman Awal Talukder.
About 30 students of Badshaganj Girls' High School and Badshaganj Pilot High School were on the boat on their way to school, said Shamsuddin Ahmed, principal of Badshaganj Degree College. The boys managed to swim ashore, he said.