Panchagarh boat tragedy toll rises to 69

The Report Desk

Published: September 28, 2022, 11:42 PM

Panchagarh boat tragedy toll rises to 69

The death toll from the boat capsize in the Karatoariver at Boda upazila of Panchagarh has now reached 69 as another body was found on Wednesday, three days after the fatal accident.

The deceased is 28-year-old college student Himalay Chandra, son of Biren Chandra of Boda upazila.

Fire service divers fished out the body from the Karatoya River near Aulia ghat in the upazila, said Dipankar Roy, additional district magistrate.

Bodies of 30 women, 21 children and 18 men were recovered while three others are still missing, he added.

As of Tuesday, 51 of the bodies were handed over the the victims' families.

On Sunday, the engine-run boat capzised near Awlia Ghat under Bamonhat Union as it was carrying scores of Hindus headed for Mahalaya celebrations at a local temple.

Witnesses said the boat was aboard with 150 passengers, and a number of them managed to swim ashore as they boat was met with the tragedy.

Hundreds of people die each year in river accidents in the country.

In the previous such accident, at least 26 died in May after an overcrowded speedboat collided with a sand-laden bulk carrier and sank on the Padma River near Kathalbari Ferry ghat in Shibchar upazila of Madaripur.

 

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