5 missing in boat capsize

Five people went missing as a boat capsized in the Shitalakkhya river after it was hit by a cargo vessel in Rupganj upazila of Narayanganj district on Friday night.

The missing are Latif, Sharif, Tushar, Nasim and Babu, all from Jatrbari in Dhaka.

A team of divers from Fire Service and Civil Defence were searching for the missing people till filing of the report.

A group of 14 people hired the boat from Demra for a pleasure trip, said Rupganj police station officer-in-charge Aminur Rahman, who was present on the spot.

“The boat sank in the river after a sand-laden bulkhead hit it from behind,” he added.

“Nine passengers managed to swim ashore. Five are still missing,” said the policeman.