Preventing deaths from drowning

Capsize of boat is nothing new in Bangladesh. Just a few days ago, a boat carrying approximately 100 passengers, mostly Hindu devotees, sank in the Karatoa river in Panchagarh. So far, 69 bodies have reportedly been recovered while rescue operations are still on for three people. According to rescuers and investigators, overcrowding was the main cause behind this disaster. Initial reports suggest that the boat was carrying nearly three times its capacity.

Most of the passengers on the boat lived near the riverbank. As a result, with the exception of very young children, almost all of them knew how to swim. And several passengers reached the shore swimming. But most of the victims might not swim when others grabbed on to them to try to stay afloat, while others could not remember how to swim out of fear and anxiety. For women, getting tangled in their clothing is a major reason behind their death.

Drowning is a significant public health concern and the third leading cause of unintentional death worldwide. Despite knowing how to swim, many people living in riverine or rural areas do not know how to survive or save lives. According to several studies, raising awareness among people as well as providing safety and swimming skills for children and teenagers can prevent deaths from drowning.

Ashikujaman Syed,

Research Assistant,

Bioinformatics Research Lab,

Center for Research Innovation and Development (CRID),

syedashikujaman@yahoo.com