The number of casualties in the recent boat accident in Panchagarh was exacerbated by panic among the passengers, people involved in the rescue operations have said.
On the third day of the rescue operation, rescuers recovered the bodies of 18 passengers who were on the boat that capsized in the Karatoa River in Boda upazila of Panchagarh on Sunday.
The dead include 20 children, 30 women, and 17 men. The adults ranged from 25 to 70 years of age, while the children were aged 1-15.
Abul Kalam Azad, a Fire Service team leader from Thakurgaon, told Dhaka Tribune: “Most of the passengers on the boat lived near the riverbank. As a result, with the exception of very young children, almost all of them knew how to swim and several passengers reached the shore.”
Many of the victims drowned when others grabbed on to them to try to stay afloat, while others could not remember how to swim out of fear and anxiety, he added.
“Even despite being able to swim, many people drown in boat or launch capsizes due to panic,” said Sadrul Hasan Mazumder, convener of the National Alliance for Drowning Prevention (NADP).
“For women, getting tangled in their clothing is a major reason behind their death. Furthermore, many people try to swim while holding on to others, which leads to difficulties,” he told Dhaka Tribune.
He said boat capsize victims should remove as much clothing as possible before attempting to swim to shore, as clothing becomes heavy when wet and can lead to a swimmer drowning from exhaustion before reaching land.
“When a boat or launch overturns, the water moves towards the boat and creates a reverse current from all around, like a blackhole that pulls people under the water. Even if people know how to swim, they begin to go under the water,” he added.
Every drowning death is preventable
The Bangladesh Health and Injury Survey 2016 estimated the drowning mortality rate at 11.7 per 100,000 persons per year, corresponding to a total of 19,247 deaths. Two thirds of the victims are children.
The number of drowning deaths in the country increased by 67% in 2021 compared to 2020, according to a survey conducted by the non-governmental organization "Somashte".
While each drowning death is preventable, awareness alone can prevent 60% of the incidents, experts said. In Bangladesh, where large areas of land remain submerged due to yearly floods, the absence of awareness and swimming skills can prove to be life-threatening.
Children in rural areas who grow up near bodies of water are exposed to the risk of drowning daily, they added.
Drowning is a significant public health concern and the third leading cause of unintentional death worldwide.
Despite knowing how to swim, many people living in riverine or rural areas do not know how to survive or save lives, Sadrul pointed out.
Various studies have found that increased awareness among families and communities, providing safety and swimming skills for children and adolescents, ensuring childcare facilities for preschool children, and national policies and investments for prevention make a significant difference in terms of preventing death by drowning.