At least six people went missing as a trawler packed with over 60 passengers capsized in the Meghna River in Haimchar upazila after being hit by a goods-laden vessel amid dense fog on Tuesday morning.Safaruddin, sub-inspector of Haimchar Police Station, said the victims include two women and four children.
They are Saleha Begum, 25, wife of Salahuddin of Chanbhanga village,
their son Siam, 8, and daughter Swarna, 4, Shahzadi, 30, of Madhyachar village, her daughter Nargis, 8, and Fahim, 2, son of Jamal Bepari of Char Bhairabi village in Haimchar upazila.
Police said the trawler — MV Robin-1 — sank in the middle of the river around 9:30am on its way to Paschim Eshan ghat from Telimor ghat.
Police said most of the passengers swam ashore or were rescued by local people after the accident.
Police and fire service officials rushed to the scene and began a search for the missing.
At least 10 people got admitted to the Haimchar upazila health complex, said police.
Karim Master and Nasrin Akhter, who survived the accident, told UNB that up to 60 people including some children were on board when the accident took place.
Karim Master of Purbachar Krishnapur village in the upazila also said he managed to swim ashore by holding a log of the sunken trawler.
Ashrafuzzaman, additional superintendent of Chandpur police, earlier told UNB that they were trying to determine the exact number of the missing.
Relief and Disaster Management Minister Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya visited the spot around 1:30pm and also announced to give Tk 5,000 for each of the injured while Tk 10,000 for victims’ families each.
