A fisherman died and another went missing when a fishing trawler sank in the Meghna River near Noakhali’s Hatiya upazila early Monday after being struck by a bulkhead vessel.
The incident occurred around 3:00 AM near Char Aman Ullah village under Ward 4 of Sukchar Union.
The dead has been identified as Sakib Uddin, 17, son of Monir Uddin from Shullukia village under Char King union. The missing fisherman was Arafat, son of Delwar Hossain from Ward 8 of Sukchar Union.
According to locals, the fishing trawler, owned by a fisherman named Afsar Majhi, was anchored along the riverbank with four people onboard, all asleep. Around 3 AM, a bulkhead vessel coming from the south suddenly rammed into the trawler, causing it to capsize.
Hearing their cries for help, nearby fishermen rushed to the scene and rescued two of the injured. About an hour later, Sakib’s body was recovered floating in the river. The bulkhead vessel fled immediately after the collision, taking advantage of the darkness.
Ashish Chandra Saha, in-charge of Nalchira River Police Outpost, confirmed the recovery of Sakib’s body and said that rescue operations are ongoing to locate the missing fisherman. Legal action will be taken based on complaints filed by the victims' families.
