Woman killed, 4 missing as trawler capsizes in Meghna

A woman has been killed and four members of the same family have gone missing after a trawler capsized in the Meghna river due to gusty winds while travelling from Cumilla to Sonargaon in Narayanganj for a relative's wedding. Other passengers on the trawler managed to reach the shore with the help of a nearby trawler.

The accident took place in the Meghna river in the Sonamoyi area of Baidyarbazar in Sonargaon upazila on Thursday afternoon, September 24. Upon receiving the news, Fire Service, Naval Police and police station police began searching for the missing.

The deceased woman is Rashida Begum (55). She was the wife of Jakir Hossain of Kaillapur village in Brahmanbaria's Bancharampur upazila. The missing persons are Helaluddin (54), his son Sajib Hossain (24), daughter Samia Akter (17) and son Samin Hossain (5).

According to eyewitnesses, police and Fire Service sources, 13 relatives set off by trawler from Shreemuddi village in Cumilla's Homna upazila to attend the wedding ceremony of Sajia Akter, daughter of Shah Paran of Haria Baidyepara village in Sonargaon. There were also two cows and a goat on the trawler along with the passengers.

After reaching the Meghna river in the Sonamoyi area in the afternoon, gusty winds suddenly began. As large waves rose in the river, water started entering the trawler. At one point, the trawler sank.

At that time, a trawler of Aman Cement Company nearby quickly went to the scene and began rescue work. They rescued eight people alive. After about half an hour, Rashida Begum's body was recovered from the river. However, no trace of the four others was found. The body was later taken to Sonargaon Upazila Health Complex.

Sonargaon Police Station Officer-in-Charge Mohammad Abdul Barik said police station police, alongside Fire Service and Naval Police, are working to rescue the missing.

Quoting trawler's boatman Ahmed Ali, Fire Service and Civil Defence Deputy Assistant Director Osman Gani said water entered the trawler due to gusty winds and it sank. There were 13 passengers, two cows and a goat on the trawler. A trawler is being used to search the river for the missing.

Narayanganj Fire Service and Civil Defence Deputy Director Abdullah Al Arefin said a diving team has left Dhaka to rescue the missing. As night fell, the rescue operation in the river could not be conducted on Thursday night. The rescue operation will begin again on Friday morning.