The body of a father who went missing while trying to rescue his son after the boy fell from a boat has been recovered in Gaibandha. The incident happened on Saturday afternoon at Telian beel in Bonarpara union of the upazila.
Sadekul Islam, leader of Saghata fire service station, confirmed the incident to Dhaka Post.
The dead father, Moynul Islam, 32, was the son of the late Mohammad Ali of Satkalpani village in the union. He worked as an electrician with the rural electricity board. The son who was rescued is named Mahid, 10.
Fire service and local sources said Moynul went fishing at the local Telian beel by boat with his son Mahid at around 3pm. Shortly after they arrived, Mahid accidentally fell from the boat into the water. His father Moynul immediately jumped in to rescue him, and then went missing in the water.
Seeing what had happened, local people came forward to try to rescue father and son and informed the fire service. Local people were eventually able to rescue Mahid alive, but there was no trace of his father Moynul. Members of Saghata fire service then reached the scene on hearing the news and began a rescue operation. After about an hour’s effort, Moynul’s body was recovered from a ditch in the beel.
Sadekul Islam, leader of Saghata fire service station, told Dhaka Post: “On receiving the news, a seven-member team of ours reached the scene and began rescue work. Local people had already rescued the boy alive. An operation was then carried out to find the missing Moynul. After about three quarters of an hour’s effort, his body was recovered from a ditch in the beel. The body has been handed over to the family.”
He added that a team of divers had been called from Rangpur to help find Moynul, but because the body was recovered before the divers reached the scene, they turned back to Rangpur on the way. Mahid, the boy who fell from the boat, is well.