Bangladesh: Three die in Sunamganj boat capsize

Dhaka, July 8 (New Age): Three workers died as a sand-laden boat capsized in the River Surma in Sunamganj early Monday. The deceased were identified as Sayemul Islam, 25, son Abdus Salam, Jamir Ali, son of Mulluk Miah, and Fayez Uddin, 30, son Abdul Quaiyum — all of village Shreepur under sadar upazila, police said. Local people said that six workers were in the sand-laden boat headed for Sunamganj town from Dhopazan in the upazila at around 3:30am. They anchored the boat near the Surma Bridge at Mallikpur on the outskirts of the town. The boat moved far from the bank because of strong current amid heavy raining and sunk at around 4:30am. Local union council member Nuruzzaman said three of the workers, however, managed to swim ashore when the rest remained missing. Superintendent of Sunamganj police Harun-or-Rashid told New Age that the accident took place because of strong current in the river amid torrential rain. He said a diving team of the fire brigade rushed to the spot immediately and recovered the bodies at around 11:00am. Sunamganj Kotwali police officer-in-charge Jan-e Alam Khan told New Age that the bodies were handed over to relatives in the afternoon.