The bodies of four more victims of a boat capsize have been recovered from the Buriganga River.
The bodies of Mim, 8, Mahi, 6, Delwar, 35, and his son six-month-old Zonayed were found on Saturday, Duty Officer Russell Shikder at Fire Service and Civil Defence headquarters told the Dhaka Tribune.
On Friday morning, a woman named Jamshida’s body was also found, and later sent to the Sir Salimullah Medical College Mitford Hospital morgue for autopsy.
All five were family members.
Sadarghat river police station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Abdur Razzak said the four other bodies were handed over to their families following autopsies at the hospital.
“They will be buried in their family graveyard,” he added.
The six had gone missing when a boat capsized in the Buriganga River after it was hit by a launch Thursday night.
Shahjalal, 35, a survivor, was found with both legs severed by the launch propeller. He is currently undergoing treatment at the National Institute of Traumatology and Orthopedic Rehabilitation.
His wife is Shahida, 28, is still missing.
OC Razzak said: “The search for the missing person is continuing in small scale as the sun has set. But the operation will resume in full swing on Sunday morning.”
Local police and Fire Service sources said the boat had collided with the launch near Sadarghat Launch Terminal around 10pm Thursday, and promptly sank.
Although the boatman was able to swim ashore, the passengers were not so lucky.
A Fire Service official said the rescue operations were hindered by boats and launches operating on the river.
Also Read- Buriganga boat capsize: One rescued, one body recovered; 5 still missing
Meanwhile, Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) has formed a three member probe committee to investigate the incident.
AKM Arif Uddin, joint director (Dhaka river port) of BIWTA, on Friday said that the problem was caused by the location of the wharves. He said there are plans to relocate them upstream.
Deputy Minister of Water Resources AKM Enamul Haque Shamim had also visited the spot on Friday morning.
He said: “We will investigate and identify those responsible for the incident. We will take stern action and act to ensure such accidents do not happen in the future.”
