A 58-year-old farmer went missing after falling from a boat in the Padma River in Bheramara, Kushtia, on Friday (September 25).
The incident occurred at around 12 noon in the Barmail area of the upazila. The missing farmer, Uzir Mondal, was the son of late Kheder Ali Mondal of Purba Nowdapara (Mondalpara) village in Chandgram Union of Bheramara.
Like every day, Uzir was travelling across the Padma River to Dadapur Char in Ishwardi to cultivate crops.
According to the people who were on the boat, a large wave suddenly struck the boat in the middle of the river, causing it to turn. Uzir, who was holding the boat’s rudder at the time, was thrown into the river.
The other passengers later spotted him in the water about 50 hands away. He was reportedly gesturing toward them, but they could not turn the boat around and reach him because of the strong current.
Three other people were travelling with Uzir on the boat: Hazratullah, Asadul Malitha and Atiar Biswas.
Hazratullah said the boat was wooden and approximately 33 hands long. He was initially operating the boat before Uzir took control of the rudder. After the large wave hit the boat in midstream and it turned, they looked back and realised that Uzir was no longer on board.
He said they later saw Uzir in the water about 50 hands away. Although he was signalling toward them, the strong current prevented them from taking the boat close to him.
After receiving the report, Bheramara Fire Service and Laxmikunda Naval Police went to the scene and launched a rescue operation. However, the strong current in the Padma has hampered the search.
Bheramara Fire Service Station Officer Shariful Islam said they reached the scene shortly after receiving the information and that the rescue operation was ongoing. A diving team was being brought from Khulna to assist with the search.
Local Union Parishad member Karibul Islam Rony said several farmers, including Uzir Mondal, were travelling to Dadapur Char to cultivate black gram.
Laxmikunda Naval Police Outpost Officer-in-Charge Md Shafiqul Islam said naval police personnel were assisting the Fire Service in the rescue operation. He added that the strong river current was making the search difficult.
Bheramara Police Station Officer-in-Charge Jahedur Rahman said they had learned that a person had gone missing in the Padma River and that the Laxmikunda Naval Police Outpost was handling the matter. He added that police were also monitoring the situation.
