At least 21 people died, six were injured and several feared missing as a passenger-carrying trawler capsized after colliding with a sand-laden trawler in Laiskar Beel area of the River Titas under Sadar upazila in Brahmanbaria district on Friday afternoon.
The deceased who were indentified are Mumena, Farida, Anjana, Minara, Monjuwara and Rowshanara.
'We have so far recovered 21 bodies from the spot,' Brahmanbaria superintendent of police Md Anisur Rahman told New Age at about 11:45pm.
Of them, at least nine were women and five were children, he said.
The rescue effort still continues.
Brahmanbaria deputy commissioner Hayat Ud-Dowla Khan told New Age that they formed a probe committee to investigate into the incident.
The six injured are Aiyub Mia, Ibrahim, Ahmedullah, Murad Mia, Tanjir and Faruk Mia were admitted to Brahmanbaria Sadar Hospital.
The trawler carrying over 70 passengers capsized in the area at about 5:45pm while it was on the way to the district town from Champaknagar Bazar of Bijaynagar upazila in the district, Brahamanbaria police station officer-in-charge Md Emranul Islam told New Age.
The incident took place as a sand-laden trawler coming from opposition direction hit the passenger vessel and the passenger trawler was overturned, said deputy commissioner Hayat Ud-Dowla Khan.
However, some survivors said that the number of passengers was higher than 70.
A survivor, Mohammad Rafi, said that the trawler started for Barhmanbaria municipality area’s Anandabazar terminal around 4:00pm with more than 100 passengers.
Injured Murad Mia said that their boat capsized after the collision with the sand-laden trawler.
‘I came to the shore by swimming with one son and wife but my other son, mother and three nephews are missing,’ he added.
Till writing of this report around 10:00pm on Friday, the passenger vessel could not be rescued.
Md Emranul Islam said that they had sent four bodies, found immediately after the capsize, to Brahamanbaria Sadar Hospital morgue and the remaining bodies were found later.
‘On information from the locals, we rushed to the spot and began the rescue operation. Fire Service and Civil Defence personnel are also conducting the search operation,’ he said.
It is not possible to mention the exact number of the missing people right now but locals said that several people remained missing, he added.
The bodies were kept at the Brahamanbaria Sadar Hospital morgue where a huge number of people gathered to know the whereabouts of their dear ones.
Immediately after the incident the fire service and local police started their rescue operation with divers.
Locals also alleged that after the incident police seized the sand-laden trawler but the master and other staff had already escaped.
The Brahmanbaria deputy commissioner also told New Age that they had formed a three-member committee to probe the incident and asked to submit a report within 10 days.
District administration announced Tk 20,000 for each of the families of the deceased.
Earlier, at least 34 people were killed after a launch capsized in Sitalakhya river in Narayanganj on April 5 this year.
