Fifty-one-year-old Jashobala was elated at the thought of visiting the Mahalaya festivity for the first time with her husband. Even after 30 years of marriage, they did not get a chance to see Mahalaya together. She started making preparations ahead of the visit. She bought a new saree for herself and a dhoti for her husband with her savings.
Wearing new clothes on Sunday, the Jashobala-Shukatu couple boarded a boat at Auliya Ghat near their Pradhanpara village of Chandanbari Union under Boda Upazila.
There was no place to step into the boat -- it swayed at the beginning and sank midway in the Karatoya River. Nothing but human faces could be seen around. Everyone's eyes and faces had the desire to live. But Jashobala knew how to swim. So she swam and boarded a small boat, where she found her husband lying unconscious.
Later, the two were rescued and admitted to Boda Upazila Health Complex in Panchagarh. Currently, they are both under treatment.
Jashobala said: "Previously, I went alone to see Mahalaya. That's why I bought a new saree.” She recalled the crowd at the boat ghat and the aftermath. “I didn’t imagine that I’d remain alive. Many people have died before my eyes.”
Most of the victims of the boat capsize were from the Hindu community. They were going to Badeshwari Temple in Barashashi Union of the upazila.
From Sunday till last night, rescuers recovered the bodies of 69 people. Several hundred people gathered on the riverbank on Wednesday. Some of them were waiting for the rescuers to find the bodies of their near and dear ones.
The dead include 20 children, 30 women and 18 men. The adults ranged from 25 to 70 years of age, while the children were aged 1-15.
The body of Himalay Chandra, son of Biren Chandra, was found yesterday. Fire Service divers fished out the body from the river near Aulia Ghat.
Ailing Madan Kumar, 80, was waiting for his son's body on the bank of the Karatoya River.
Madan Kumar is a resident of Panchpir village of Madea Union. The body of his daughter-in-law was found at Birganj on Tuesday. But his son Bhupen, 40, has not been found yet.
Several persons remain missing
Dipankar Roy, Additional Deputy Commissioner (Revenue), said the bodies of 68 people had been handed over to their families. “As the number of passengers on the boat is not clearly known, our rescue operations will continue within a 100km radius of the spot. The district administration has also arranged financial grants and medical expenses for those affected.”
Meanwhile, the investigation committee has been given three more days to submit its report as the deadline ended on Tuesday. Dipankar Roy, head of the inquiry committee, confirmed the information yesterday.
He said that the committee members were working in the field while monitoring the rescue operations, treatment of the injured, and cremation of the dead.
