A 20-day-old baby was among 12 people swept into the Padma River after a boat capsized in Chapainawabganj on Saturday, with 10 Bangladeshis later rescued by India's Border Security Force (BSF) and one person still missing.
The boat capsized around 5:30pm while travelling from Bakherali to Johurpur Belpara in Chapainawabganj Sadar as the river became rough. The baby, Tanisha, was travelling in her mother Tania Khatun's arms when the boat sank and all 12 people on board fell into the water.
Md Wasim, 23, managed to swim to the shore, while the remaining 11 passengers went missing.
Amid the strong current and storm, the passengers tried to stay afloat by holding onto the boat’s wooden floor, sacks, floating pieces of wood, paddles and other objects.
Tania Khatun held Tanisha tightly, but at one point the strong current pulled the baby from her arms. Tania later found Tanisha underwater and held her tightly again.
Tanisha’s maternal grandfather Ibrahim also swam while holding the baby above the water with one hand.
After floating in the water for around 1 hour and 20 minutes, the current carried them towards Indian waters. BSF members spotted 10 Bangladeshis, including Tanisha, and went to rescue them in a speedboat before taking them to the riverbank.
At the time of the rescue, 20-day-old Tanisha was almost unresponsive after swallowing water while being held by her mother. BSF members quickly took her to a local medical centre, where doctors examined her and said she was healthy.
The incident occurred while the group was travelling from Bakherali in Chapainawabganj Sadar to Johurpur Belpara. Tanisha is the daughter of Md Sohel and Tania Khatun of Johurpur Belpara in Sadar upazila.
Shariful Islam, subedar of the Bakher Ali Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) camp, said rescuers told him that Tania had been holding Tanisha tightly after the boat sank.
He said: “They floated by holding onto the boat’s rice husk, paddle and wooden floor. At one point, the strong current pulled the child from her mother’s hand and she sank into the water. Later, Tania Khatun found her and held her tightly again.”
Shahidul Islam, company commander of Faridpur Border Outpost (BOP), said Tanisha’s maternal grandfather knew how to swim, while the women stayed afloat by holding onto the boat’s wooden floor, paddles and sacks.
He said: “They remained floating in the water for more than an hour.”
Rabiul Islam Rabu, member of Ward 8 of Narayanpur Union Parishad, said Tania initially held Tanisha tightly, but the strong current and storm caused the baby to slip from her arms and sink.
He said Tania later found Tanisha and held her above the water with her legs. Seeing the baby in distress, her grandfather Ibrahim held her above the water with 1 hand while swimming to survive.
Rabiul Islam Rabu said they remained in the water for around 1 hour and 20 minutes before BSF members rescued them.
Shyamalal Mondal, a resident of Taranagar in Lalbagh police station area of Murshidabad district, was present on the Indian side when the BSF rescued the Bangladeshis.
He said BSF members rescued the Bangladeshis and took them to the riverbank. He added that 20-day-old Tanisha was almost unresponsive at the time and that BSF members immediately took her to a local medical center, where doctors said she was healthy.
Lieutenant Colonel Kazi Mostafizur Rahman, commander of BGB’s 53 Battalion, said members of the BSF’s 71 Battalion Khandua Camp rescued the Bangladeshis with a speedboat on Saturday night.
He said the BSF handed over the 10 rescued Bangladeshis to the BGB that night, after which the BGB released them into the custody of their relatives.
Kazi Mostafizur Rahman said 9 of the 10 rescued Bangladeshis, including Tanisha, returned home that night in healthy condition.
At around 5pm on Saturday, a motorized boat carrying 12 passengers left Alimnagar Ghat in the Bakherali area for Johurpurtek village. The boat sank in the Padma River on the way.
At around 5:50pm, the company commander of the 71 Battalion BSF’s Khandua Camp informed the BGB about the boat sinking. He said the BSF had rescued 10 Bangladeshis alive, including 4 men, 3 women and 3 children.
The Chapainawabganj Battalion, 53 BGB, then took steps to bring them back to Bangladesh. At 9:55pm, a company commander-level flag meeting was held between the commander of Faridpur BOP and the commander of the Khandua BSF Camp.
Following the meeting, the 10 rescued Bangladeshis were brought back to Bangladesh. They were later handed over to their close relative, Md Ismail Hossain, in the presence of local public representatives.
The BGB said all the rescued people were in good health.
The rescued people were Md Russell, 26; Md Ibrahim, 50; Sowdagar, 40; Md Ibrahim, 60; Sakhina, 45; Nilufta, 35; Tania, 22, and her 20-day-old daughter; Sanaullah, 9; and Al Amin, 9.
All of them are from Johurpur (Bokaripara) village in Chapainawabganj.
Meanwhile, Md Mostafa, 60, son of late Altab Hossain, from the same village, remains missing. Search and rescue operations are continuing to locate him.