Three people went missing after a picnic boat accident in the Padma River in Bheramara, Kushtia. Losing control in a strong current, the boat first struck a pillar of the Hardinge Bridge with force. It then drifted with the current and struck the Lalon Shah Bridge as well. Several passengers on board fell into the river during the incident.
The accident occurred around 8:30pm Friday (September 11) in the Padma River beneath the Hardinge Bridge in Bheramara upazila.
Those missing are Rakibul Islam Roki, member secretary of Shailkupa municipal Chhatra Dal, and Liton and Abdul Wahab, both from Kabirpur in the same upazila.
Fire service officials, local residents and eyewitnesses said the picnic boat, carrying a business group from Kabirpur in Shailkupa, was heading toward Kushtia. The group had visited the Soleman Shah shrine in Bheramara. On the way back, the boat lost control in the strong current of the Padma near the Hardinge Bridge area, and at one point struck a bridge pillar with force.
Several passengers on board were thrown into the river as a result. The boat then drifted with the current and also struck the Lalon Shah Bridge. It was later brought under control and taken to shore. Local residents rescued the passengers on the boat and brought them safely ashore.
Following the accident, the fire service launched an operation to rescue those missing. Four people were initially reported missing, but one of them, Wahab, was later found alive. Three people currently remain missing.
Bheramara Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Amirul Arafat inspected the scene. He said: “This was a picnic boat belonging to a business group from Kabirpur in Shailkupa. They had visited the Soleman Shah shrine in Bheramara. Three people remain missing. I am at the scene.”
Wadud Hossain, assistant director of Kushtia Fire Service and Civil Defence, said: “A control room officer has gone to the scene. Because of the strong current in the Padma, it has not been possible to immediately rescue the three missing people. About 110 people were on the boat. If rescue isn’t possible tonight, a search operation will be conducted once divers arrive from Khulna.”
The fire service continues its search operation into the night to rescue those missing. The strong current is hampering rescue efforts.