<i>Kuet recalls Katka tragedy</i>

NINE OF THE 11 VICTIMS OF KATKA TRAGEDY
Top row: Arnaj Rifat Rupa, Mahmudur Rahman Russel, Maksumul Aziz Mostaji, Middle row: Abdullahel Baki, Kazi Abdul Mueed, Kauser Ahmed Khan, Bottom row: Munadil Raihan bin Walid, Ashrafuzzaman Toha, Touhidul Enam Apu -- all studying in architecture department of Khulna University during the tragedy eight years ago.Photo: STAR

Students, teachers, officials and employees of Khulna University yesterday observed eighth 'Katka tragedy day' through different programmes.
Nine students of architecture discipline of Khulna University and two students of mechanical department of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (Buet) met tragic death as cross current of the sea washed them away near Katka in the Sundarbans while they were taking bath there on March 13 in 2004.
The eleven students are Arnaj Rifat Rupa, Mahmudur Rahman Russel, Maksumul Aziz Mostaji Nipun, Abdullahel Baki, Kazi Abdul Mueed, Kauser Ahmed Khan, Munadil Raihan bin Walid, Ashrafuzzaman Toha, Touhidul Enam Apu of Khulna University and Shamsul Arefin Shakil and Samiul Hasan Khan of Buet, Dhaka.
All the bodies were recovered from the sea.
The daylong programmes yesterday included wearing of black badges at 10:00am, mourning rally at 10:30am, laying of floral wreaths at Katka tragedy memorial at 11:00am, milad mehfil at the university mosque after Zohr prayers, mass feeding at 2:00pm, condolence meeting at 4:30pm and lighting of candles at 6:30pm.
On midnight of March 12 in 2004, a group of 78 students of architecture department of Khulna University along with 20 guests left Khulna by a reserved motor launch towards the Sundarbans for a picnic. They reached the sea beach at 1:30pm on March 13.
Suddenly, furious current washed away eleven students while they were taking bath in the sea, said Shibu Prasad Bose, one of the survivors of the tragedy, and now serving as a lecturer of architecture at Khulna University.