Passenger launch sinks in Rangabali, 4 rescued, 1 missing

Launch. Representational image.

Patuakhali: A passenger launch capsized in Rangabali upazila of Patuakhali on Sunday morning. The incident took place in the Bura Gaurang river near Charmontaz in the upazila around 7pm on Friday.

Two people, Dipankar and Satta, went missing in the incident. However, Dipankar was rescued a while ago. Rangabali Police Station Officer-in-Charge Nurul Islam Majumder confirmed the matter. 

According to the information, the launch named Bandhu Paribahan left Galachipa Launch Ghat at 5 pm on Friday and was going to Char Anda of Rangabali upazila. On the way, the launch sank at the Tin Mohana of the Buragauranga river and was submerged by strong waves. At that time, there were 2 passengers in the launch and 3 people working in the launch. Among them, Zakir Sikder, a resident of Char Under, and his mother Raushanara Begum, a 70-year-old woman, and Arif Sardar, a launch staff, swam to the shore at around 8 pm. Later, they were given first aid locally at the Charmontaz Sluice Market. Launch owner Dipankar Saha and launch staff Sattva Saha are missing. Dipankar was later rescued by a trawler around 10 pm. Now only Sattva Saha is missing. However, he is said to have taken shelter in a trawler in some fishermen.

The bandhu transport launch used to transport passengers and goods on the Galachipa to Char Anda inland water route. The owner of the launch is a businessman named Dipankar Saha. The launch is alleged to have loaded excess cargo. - Gofran Palash