2 die as watermelon-laden trawler sinks in river

BAUPHAL, PATUAKHALI, Mar 26: Two labourers died early Wednesday when a launch collided with a watermelon laden trawler on the Lohalia River in Bauphal Upazila of Patuakhali.

The deceased were identified as Rezaul Karim, 28, and Nasir Fakir, 42, both from Rangabali upazila. They worked as labourers transporting watermelons.

Witnesses said the trawler had set off from Rangabali carrying watermelons bound for Dhaka. Around dawn, near Bamnikathi under Boga union, the double deck launch MV Awlad 7 coming from Dhaka towards Patuakhali rammed the trawler. The vessel sank immediately.

At the time of the accident, Rezaul and Nasir were asleep inside the trawler. Other crew members managed to swim ashore, but the two labourers were trapped and drowned.

Police later recovered the bodies and sent them to the morgue for autopsy. Bauphal Police Station's Investigation Officer Atikul Islam confirmed the incident, saying a case is being processed.

The accident has cast a pall of grief over the victims' families and raised concerns about safety on busy river routes during the peak transport season.