8 Kushtia boat passengers still untraced

Eight of the 15 missing passengers of a boat remained untraced 24 hours after the country-made watercraft capsized in Padma River in Kushtia district’s Daulatpur Upazila during a storm on the Eid day. Police with the help of locals rescued seven persons from the river in rough weather. Md Enamul Haque, Officer-in-Charge (OC) Investigation of Daulatpur Police Station, said a group of 15 people hired an engine-propelled boat to go to a shoal (char land) that emerged recently into the middle of Padma River from Bairagirchar in Maricha Union on the occasion of Holy Eid-ul-Fitr. As the boat started for the shoal around 3pm, it was caught in a storm, and sank. On information Daulatpur police and a team from the district Fire Service and Civil Defence office rushed to the spot to conduct the rescue operation. They rescued seven out of 15 passengers. But the rest eight still remained missing. Critically injured Milon, 22, and Selim, 23, were rushed to Daulatpur Upazila Health Complex, according to a news agency.