2 die as auto-rickshaw falls off ferry in N’ganj

The bodies of two women were recovered nearly 13 hours after a CNG-run auto-rickshaw plunged into the Meghna river from a ferry at the Bishnandi terminal in Narayanganj's Araihazar upazila early today.

The victims -- Khaleda Begum, 55, and her daughter-in-law Farzana Begum, 22 -- were residents of Nabinagar upazila in Brahmanbaria. Their family currently lives in Dhaka's Jatrabari and was heading home for Eid.

Police said the auto-rickshaw rolled into the river shortly after the ferry began moving around 5:00am. It was retrieved around 6:00pm with the women's bodies inside, said Araihazar Police Station OC Khondokar Nasir Uddin.

Khaleda's son Kamal Hossain, 19, was rescued shortly after the incident and is undergoing treatment at a local hospital.

A family relative, Mosleh Uddin, said a sudden jolt caused the vehicle to topple into the river. At the time, Khaleda, Farzana, and Kamal were inside the rickshaw, while the driver and another son, Sagor Mia, were standing beside it.

He alleged the ferry lacked safety barriers at the rear, which may have contributed to the accident.

Araihazar Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Sajjad Hossain visited the site and said an investigation is underway to determine whether safety lapses were behind the tragedy. Legal action will follow if negligence is found.