Child dies as boats carrying bridal party sink in Padma

A child died this evening when two boats carrying 40 members of a bridal party sank in Padma river in Rajshahi.

The child died after he was taken to Rajshahi Medical College Hospital, while five others are being treated at the hospital, including the groom Rumon, and the two boatmen aged 25 and 16, reports our Rajshahi correspondent quoting Abu Haider, a sub-inspector of Rajpara Police Station.

The incident took place this evening when the boats sank mid-river, said Abdur Rouf, senior station officer of Rajshahi Fire Service and Civil Defence.

The groom was going to his in-law's house with the bride Nupur after their wedding reception. Nupur was missing when the story was filed.

Sumon, one of the survivors, told The Daily Star that three boats carrying the bridal party were going towards Rajshahi's Sreerampur. An elderly woman on one boat fell ill mid-river. Another boat came nearby and its passengers jumped in to see the woman's condition, which caused the boat to capsize.

The passengers of the sinking boat panicked and tried to jump to the other boat, causing it to capsize in the same manner, he said.

The third boat and another sand-laden boat managed to rescue some 12 people from drowning, Sumon added.

Firefighters and Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) divers are conducting a search and rescue operation at the spot, said Rouf, who is leading the rescue operation.

Some passengers swam to the bank while several others remained missing, he said.

When informed of the incident, firefighters and a BGB speedboat sped to the spot and began the rescue operation.