The joy of visiting Chalanbeel turned into a tragedy as three people drowned and two others went missing in a tourist boat capsize in Chatmohar upazila on Friday.

The victims are Billal Hossain Goni, scientific officer of regional agriculture research institute in Ishwardi upazila, his wife Momtaz Parvin Sheuly, trader Rafikul Islam Swapan, his daughter Sadia Khatun and Shahnaz Parvin Parul, a housewife.

Of them, Sheuly, Sadia and Parul  were found dead in the beel yesterday, said Officer-in-Charge of Chatmohar Police Station Md Bodruddoza.

Twenty-two visitors, including the five, went to Chalanbeel by a tourist boat to see the beauty of the water body on Friday morning.

When the boat reached Paikpara area, it sank after being hit by the strong current around 7:00pm, leaving five people missing while 17 others managed to swim ashore.

Fire fighters continued rescue operation till filing of this report around 6:00pm yesterday, said the OC.