Ferry capsizes in central Bangladesh leaving one person missing

A ferry carrying nine vehicles and an unknown number of passengers capsized in the Padma River in central Bangladesh on January 17, resulting in one person going missing. The incident occurred as the ferry, named Rajanigandha-7, was approaching the Paturia ferry terminal in Manikganj district at around 08:15 local time. Local officials initially claimed that the ferry capsized following a collision with another vessel, but some survivors disputed this, stating that the ferry’s compartments were already flooded prior to the capsizing and that no collision took place. A 39-year-old crewmember is still missing, but all passengers and the remaining crew have been rescued. The ferry had previously dropped anchor near the Paturia terminal due to heavy fog and capsized shortly after resuming sailing.

The ferry incident has raised concerns about the crew’s negligence, as one survivor accused them of failing to inform passengers about the water ingress that led to the capsizing. The incident has also highlighted the dangers of ferry travel in the region, with the Padma River being a major transportation route in Bangladesh. The search for the missing crewmember continues, and the incident serves as a reminder of the need for improved safety measures and communication protocols on ferries to prevent similar accidents in the future.

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