17 dead, 1 missing as trawler sinks in Netrokona haor

At least 17 people, including two children, have died and one remains missing as a trawler – carrying 48 passengers – capsized in Razalikanda Haor in Madan upazila of Netrokona on Wednesday.

All of the deceased are students and teachers of madrasas in the Mymensingh and Netrokona districts.

The deceased are: Mahfuzur Rahman, 45, Mozaharul Islam, 38, Mahmud Mia, 12, Asif, 15, Rezaul Karim, 16, Mozahid Mia, 17, Hamidul, 35, Saiful Islam, 30, Zahid, 20, Rakib, 20, Jobayer, 22; Isha Mia, 40 and his son Shamim Hasan, 10; Zahirul Islam 35; Shafiqur Rahman, 40 and his son Samaan, 10; and Shahidul, 10.

Members of an organisation of madrasa teachers from Mymensingh and some madrasa students had travelled to visit a madrasa in Netrokona.

From there they went to visit the haor along with the principal of the madrasa of Netrokona. While passing through the haor in the afternoon, the trawler sank due to strong winds and strong waves.

Locals, Madan police and local firefighters rescued about 30 people alive and pulled 17 bodies of the deceased out of the wreckage in a two-hour rescue mission.

Netrokona District Commissioner Moinul Islam said, "When the water started rising in the trawler due to strong winds and strong waves, the passengers started shouting in a panic."

He added that the trawler then sank and the matter will be further investigated.