8 still missing in Meghna trawler capsize

At least eight people have remained missing till 4:00pm yesterday since a trawler capsized in the Meghna on Tuesday.

The missing passengers are Zakia Begum, 55, Mohammad Hasan, 7, Nargis, 4, Halima, 4, Lamia, 3, Niha, 1, Amir Hossain, 2, and Alif, 1.

Meanwhile, seven persons, including three children and a newlywed bride, died in the accident.

The dead are bride Taslima Begum, 22, Afrin Akhtar Lamia, 2, Lili Akhter, 8, Asma Begum, 19, Hosneara Begum Rupa, 5, Rehana Begum, 30, and Noor Jahan 65.

Ekram Ullah, in-charge of naval police out post, said there were around 50 male, female and children in the small fishing trawler carrying wedding guests.

Bride Sharif Uddin, of Kalatali village in Monpura upazila, went to East Azim Nagar village in Chandi union of Hatia and left the place around 3:00pm.

When the trawler reached Tankir Khal-Ghashiar Char it tilted in one side as the guests were enjoying in the boat and there was high tide, he said.

Some fishermen who were nearby came forward and rescued some of them and many could reach ashore by swimming.

During that time 15 women and children went missing and on Tuesday bodies of seven of them were recovered, he said.

Family members of missing persons are still waiting for the rescue of the missing persons and crying at the bank of the river.

UNO of Hatia Mohammad Imran Hossain said they were continuing their search to rescue the missing persons.

An unnatural death case was filed with Hatia Police Station yesterday morning and the naval police out post was investigating the case.