A woman has gone missing after falling from a pontoon into the Meghna after being hit by a launch in Hijla upazila of Barisal. The accident took place at Hijla Old Launch Ghat around 7:30 pm on Saturday (April 27).
Missing Saleha Begum (55) is the wife of Abdul Karim Sikder of Barajalia Union of Upazila.
According to eyewitness sources, Rajhans-10 launch from Bhasanchar station of Mehendiganj upazila towards Dhaka was rammed at Hijla old launch ghat around 7:30 pm. Passenger Saleha Begum was standing on the edge of the pontoon. He was thrown from the pontoon into the river by the shock of the launch. Another person jumped into the river to save him but could not hold on to the current.
Hijla Upazila Executive Officer (UNO) Md. Jahangir Alam confirmed the truth of the incident. He said around 8:30 pm, he is at the scene. A diving team of fire service has left from Barisal Nagar to search for the missing. When they arrive, the search will begin.
RAR/Sa.A