Jhalakathi launch fire: Death toll reaches 41

Dead body

Barguna, Dec 26 --The death toll from the massive fire that broke out from the engine room of the launch in the middle of the Sugandha River off the coast of Jhalakathi Sadar Upazila rose to 41, after another body was recovered on Saturday morning.

Fire Service members recovered the body about one kilometer away from where the accident took place.

The victim was identified as Monwar Begum (55) hailing from Bishurbandho village in Faridganj upazila of Chandpur.

Her husband Billal Hossain,60, and daughter Amena Akhter , 14, were burnt in the accident and are undergoing treatment at Barisal Sher-e-Bangla Hospital.

According to family sources, three members of the same family boarded the launch from Sadarghat at around 9:30 pm on Thursday. Monwar Begum along with her husband and daughter were going to visit her son-in-law in Dhalua, Barguna on the ill-fated launch.

"They jumped from the launch when the fire broke out”. Victim’s husband Billal Hossain and daughter managed to reach the shore but she failed.

Local UP chairman Ali Akkas Bhuiyan confirmed the matter and said he was ready to provide any assistance in this regard. - UNB