Diver dies trapped in Dhaka drain, body recovered after 25 hours

A diver who went missing while cleaning a drain in Old Dhaka has been found dead after nearly 25 hours. Fire service personnel recovered the body of Milon from the Nalgola area of Ward 30 on Friday afternoon, July 17, after cutting through sections of the road to reach him.

Fire service control room official Rozina Akhter confirmed the recovery at 2:30 pm.

According to fire service and city corporation sources, several sanitation workers were cleaning the drain in the area from Thursday morning. Diver Milon entered a manhole to begin work. About an hour later, his safety rope snapped, and his colleagues began searching for him. When he could not be found, they alerted the fire service.

The body was found trapped inside the drain about 400 metres ahead of Nalgola.

Dhaka South City Corporation Ward 30 Sanitation Inspector Rashedur Rahman Russell said they learned of the disappearance after 1:00 pm on Thursday. Several government and private agencies, including the fire service, took part in the joint rescue operation. The body was recovered after cutting the road from Nalgola towards the embankment.

Locals questioned the lack of safety measures and the risky conditions in which workers were being made to work.