Girl's body recovered, mother missing; State Minister visits place

A body of an eight-year-old girl was recovered about two hours after an overloaded trawler  capsized near the Sriramkathi-Bharatkathi ferry terminal on the border of Nazirpur and Nesarabad upazilas in Pirojpur on Monday night. 

Her mother remains missing.

The accident occurred around 9PM on Monday when the boat was carrying more than 50 passengers and six motorcycles across the river. The girl, Arpita Bepari, was recovered by a Fire Service diving team at around 11:10PM.

Her mother Rina Bepari, 35, wife of Shankar Bepari of Bharatkathi village in Guarekha Union under Nesarabad upazila, remained missing after the incident.

According to local sources, Shankar Bepari, who works as a security guard at a Dhaka-based organisation, had returned to his family home for the Durga Puja holidays. On Monday night, the family was returning home by a trawler after visiting a puja mandap in the Sriramkathi area.

The trawler departed from the Sriramkathi side of Nazirpur for Bharatkathi ferry terminal but reportedly lost its balance and capsized shortly after setting off, apparently due to excessive passenger and loads.

Witnesses and a passenger said the boat lost  stability because it was carrying more people than its capacity, along with several heavy motorcycles, before sinking near the Nazirpur side of the river.

Most passengers managed to reach the shore by swimming or with assistance from local residents. However, Rina and her daughter went missing.

The girl's body was handed over to the family by Nazirpur police and Fire Service personnel.

Nazirpur Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Sajia Shahnaz Tama and Assistant Commissioner (Land) Md Ahsan Habib visited the scene to oversee the situation and rescue efforts. Fire Service Inspector Soaib Hossain Munshi and Pirojpur Fire Service Deputy Director Raihanur Ashraf were also present.

Nazirpur Police Station Officer-in-Charge Tarikul Islam said legal proceedings are underway.

Pirojpur Fire Service Deputy Director Raihanur Ashraf said the girl was recovered dead after she and her mother went missing. The rescue operation was temporarily suspended due to the late hour and was scheduled to resume on Tuesday morning.

UNO Sajia Shahnaz Tama said the boat tilted to one side around 9PM. Some passengers managed to swim ashore.