Two Dead, Including Postmaster, and Two Missing as Trawler Sinks in Meghna

Local Correspondent

A trawler carrying 39 passengers capsized in the Meghna River due to strong winds and waves in Hatiya, Noakhali. So far, two bodies, including a Rohingya woman, have been recovered. Additionally, district police member Saiful Islam (28) and a Rohingya child remain missing.

The deceased are Mohammad Gias Uddin (53), son of late Tofazzal Hossain from Daulatpur village in Feni municipality and sub-postmaster of Bhasanchar Police Station, and Hasina Khatun (25), wife of Mohammad Tarek from Cluster No. 61 of the Bhasanchar Rohingya Camp.

Hatiya Police Station’s Acting Officer-in-Charge (OC) AKM Azmal Huda confirmed this information on Sunday (June 1) afternoon. Earlier, the accident occurred near Karim Bazar adjacent to Dubarchar in the Meghna River around 3:00 PM on Saturday (May 31).

Meanwhile, the missing individuals are police constable Saiful Islam (28) from Sudharam Police Station and Mohammad Tamim (3), son of Mohammad Tarek from Cluster No. 61 of the Bhasanchar Rohingya Camp.

Investigations reveal that around 2:00 PM, a trawlercarrying 39 passengers, including four police members, a Rohingya patient, Ansar members, and NGO staff, departed from Bhasanchar for Ali Bazar Ghat in Harni Union. About 7-8 kilometers from Bhasanchar, near Karim Bazar’s Dubarchar area in the Meghna River, the trawler was caught in severe weather and sank.

Hatiya Police Station’s Acting OC AKM Azmal Huda said, “The trawler sank with 39 passengers. Among them, 35 were rescued alive. One person died after being rescued. On Sunday morning, the body of a Rohingya woman was recovered from Ramgati in Lakshmipur. One police member and two others are still missing. The Coast Guard is currently conducting a search operation to find the missing.”