At least eight people were killed and five others remained missing as a picnic trawler capsized in a tributary of the Padma near Subachani Bazar under Tongibari upazila in Munshiganj Saturday (August 5) night.

The accident occurred as the trawler carrying 46 people of a picnic party collided with a bulkhead at about 8:00pm, police and locals said. 

Eight people were killed, 34 rescued and the rest were missing, said Rafi Al Faruk, duty officer of Fire Service and Civil Defence.

Of the deceased, seven people have been identified and they are Popi, 26; Happy, 28; Shakib, 8; Sajibul, 4; Farihan, 10; Mokseda, 42 and Rakib, 12. 

He said the trawler sank following collision with a sand-laden bulkhead around 8:00pm.

Bodies of six persons were recovered in the first place while those of two were found later raising the death toll to eight, he added.

Many of the passengers could swim ashore, he said, adding eight including women and children drowned.

The picnic trawler was sailing from Mawa point of the Padma river to Sirajdikhan. When the trawler reached Roskati area of Iderpara union, a sand-laden bulkhead hit it.

Talking to Daily Sun, Officer-in-Charge of Lauhaganj Police Station Khandaker Inam Hossain said police and firefighters carried out rescue operation.

BDST: 0927 HRS, AUG 06, 2023
SMS