RAJSHAHI: Two children drowned and five cattle traders went missing as a mechanized boat capsized in the River Padma in Char Majardia area under Poba upazila on Sunday morning.

Thirteen cattle on board the trawler also drowned, said Sector Commander Col Mominur Rahman of BDR 37 rifles battalion. 

The dead kids were identified as Noor Hossain, 7, of Haragram and Enamul Huq, 6, of Char Mazardia in the riverfront city.

“Five cattle traders along with 35 cowboys and two children were heading towards the Police Lines area in the city from the border. They were also carrying 35 cattle-heads on the trawler illegally. The trawler was caught in a storm and strong current and sank in midstream of the river,” said Poba UNO Abu Selim Mahmud-ul-Hasan.

Thirty-five people managed to swim ashore after the ferry accident, but the five traders and two boys went missing, he said. The cows were washed away in the strong current.

Bodies of the two children were found out during the search. 

Identity of the missing cattle traders could not be known immediately.

The BDR members retrieved the mechanized boat from Tangon point in Motihar area of the city at about 1:30pm.

Acting DC of Rajshahi Subol Bose said BDR personnel were continuing rescue operation in the Padma. “The rescue operation will last one more hour,” he said.

BDST: 1358 HRS, 25 JULY 2010