Two people went missing after a newly built trawler sank following a collision with the Barisal-to-Dhaka launch Sundarban-12 near Shyambazar Ghat in Sadarghat on Sunday morning.
A fire service diving team is conducting a rescue operation to locate the missing passengers.
The accident occurred around 8:30am.
The trawler was carrying 10 people. Eight managed to swim to safety or were rescued, while two remain missing.
Sadarghat police station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Sohag Rana said the newly built trawler was being transported from Kodda Bazar in Gazipur to Muradnagar in Comilla. Near Shyambazar Ghat, its propeller became entangled with an object, causing the engine to stop and leaving the vessel stranded mid-river.
The Sundarban-12 launch, which was travelling from Barisal to Dhaka, then collided with the trawler, causing it to sink, he said.
Fire service personnel launched a rescue operation after receiving the report. Eight passengers were rescued, while efforts to locate the remaining two are ongoing.
Fire Service Headquarters Media Cell Officer Md Anwarul Islam said the agency received information about the incident around 9:30am, and a unit from the Sadarghat River Fire Station reached the scene at 9:50am to begin rescue operations.
He said the sunken trawler has been located, and efforts are underway to recover both the missing passengers and the vessel.
