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January
20, 2001
Bhola, Jan 19 (UNB)- At least nine people, mostly women and children, drowned as a trawler capsized in a Meghna river channel near Ramnewam bazaar in Manpura island upazila on Thursday afternoon.
The victims included Mohima Khatun, 45, Mukta, 30, Moyna, 7, Abdul Zalil, 5, Sufia Begum, 70, and Rahima Begum, 30.
Witnesses said the FB Shanta, carrying about 150 passengers, sank near the terminal on the Shabazpur channel of the river at about 4:15pm after hitting a stationary launch while the ferry vessel anchoring there.
The trawler, which sailed from Tazimuddin at about 3pm, was bound for Hazirhat in Manpura upazila.
“Majority of the passengers swam ashore, except for women and children who were in the cabins of the trawler,” survivors said. They said there were at least 20 children and women on board when the ferry accident occurred.
When contacted, SP Mohsin Hossain told UNB that nine bodies were recovered from a cabin of the trawler.
Five of the victims were children while three women, he said. The bodies were handed over to the relatives of the victims.
He, however, said there were no more bodies found in the trawler, which was salvaged at night.
A case was filed in this connection.
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