Death toll rises to 39 in Bangladesh boat capsize

Bangladeshi authorities had been racing in opposition to time on Monday to seek out any survivors of the boat accident involving Hindu devotees, even because the dying toll within the incident rose to at the very least 39, principally kids and ladies.

The devotees had been heading in direction of the Bodeshwari Temple on the event of Mahalaya, the auspicious begin of the Durga Puja pageant, when the over-crowded boat capsized within the Korotoa River within the nation’s northwestern Panchagarh district.

“Our rescuers retrieved nine more bodies (overnight)… search is continuing,” a hearth service official informed reporters on the scene.

Some our bodies had been present in a river in Dinajpur. The our bodies had reportedly washed away as a result of sturdy present, one other official mentioned.

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Panchagarh Additional Deputy Commissioner (Revenue) Dipankar Roy mentioned {that a} complete of 39 our bodies have been recovered thus far. Among them, 11 are kids, 21 are girls and seven are males, Bdnews24.com reported.

Media stories quoting relations mentioned 58 passengers had been lacking, whereas officers earlier mentioned the boat was believed to be carrying as many as 80 passengers.

“The preliminary investigation shows that the boat was overcrowded,” Roy, head of the probe physique, was quoted as saying by the Dhaka Tribune newspaper.

However, he additionally famous that there could also be different causes behind why the boat sank, however that might be revealed after the committee finishes its investigation, the paper mentioned.

“The boatman had asked some people to disembark to ease the weight load. But no one listened,” mentioned Solaiman Ali, the executive chief of the sub-district.

Eyewitnesses declare that there have been greater than 150 passengers on the boat. Some folks swim again to the river financial institution however many stay lacking.

Roy mentioned the fireplace service in Panchagargh is main the search efforts.

The Durga Puja is the most important Hindu pageant in Bangladesh and in jap India.

Deltaic Bangladesh is crisscrossed by a number of hundred rivers whereas a whole lot of individuals die every year in boat and ferry accidents in Bangladesh, largely as a result of overcrowding.

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