Four drown as boat capsizes in Meghna

Four people drowned and at least six others went missing after an engine boat capsized in the Meghna in Sonargaon upazila yesterday afternoon.

Some 30-40 people were on the boat on their way to the traditional “Fair of Soleman Shah” at Beltali in Chandpur's Matlab upazila, said Sub-Inspector Shah Alam, in-charge of Bandar River Outpost.

The vessel sank due to strong currents at Char Kishoreganj around 4:00pm, leaving the four drowned, he added.

The rest of the passengers managed to swim ashore.

The four bodies were fished out of the river. The dead are Sattar Miah, 40, his daughter Lamiya, 5, Zohra Begum, 60, and Kanchan Begum, 65, from the capital's Rampura.

Divers of Fire Service and Civil Defence and Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority were searching for the missing.

One of the survivors, Halim Bhandari, said his wife Banu Begum, mother-in-law Joygunnesa, sister-in-law Ranu Begum and her husband Shahjahan and Shahjahan's sister Shampa were missing.

Deceased Sattar's wife Shilpi Begum was among the missing, said family sources.

Shahinur Islam, upazila nirbahi officer of Sonargaon, said families of the dead will receive Tk 20,000 each from the Narayanganj district administration as financial assistance.