Father drowns in Kaptai Lake saving son, body recovered after 16 hours

The body of a fisherman, Falan Mia, 28, has been recovered from Kaptai Lake in Rangamati's Longadu upazila, nearly 16 hours after he went missing following a boat capsize in a storm. He drowned after ensuring his young son was rescued onto another boat.

Fire service members recovered his body on Monday morning from the 14th beel area between Kalapakujya and Gulshakhali unions.

Falan Mia was the son of Md Shahbuddin from the small Mahilya village in Ward 3 of Gulshakhali Union. He was a fisherman by profession.

Police and local sources said Falan Mia was returning home by boat with his young son on Sunday evening when a sudden storm struck, causing the boat to capsize near the 14th beel area. After the boat sank, Falan tried to keep his son afloat. When another boat approached to rescue them, he managed to lift his son onto the rescue boat but drowned immediately after.

Fire service members launched a search operation and recovered his body on Monday morning.

Longadu Police Station Officer-in-Charge Md Zakaria Hossain said the body was handed over to the family after legal formalities.

The incident has cast a pall of gloom over the area, with locals expressing deep emotion over the father's sacrifice to save his child.