A boat carrying 26 passengers sank in the Teesta River near Khamar Damar Hat Government Primary School in Ulipur Upazila, Kurigram, on Wednesday evening. A child drowned, and eight people remain missing.
The deceased child, Ayesha Khatun, 2.5 years old, was the daughter of Azizur Rahman from Khamar Damar Hat village.
Local residents and a fire service diving team rescued the child's body and saved 17 passengers. Nine of the rescued were sent to Ulipur Upazila Health Complex. The remaining eight passengers are still missing.
Acting Station Officer of Ulipur Fire Service and Civil Defence, Abbas Ali, confirmed the incident.
According to survivors Kamal Hossain and Sharifa Begum, Jaynal Abedin from Khamar Damar Hat was returning with his family and relatives from an Eid visit to Alibaba Theme Park in Pirgacha Upazila, Rangpur, when their boat capsized due to the strong current.
Some passengers managed to swim to safety, while locals rescued others. Police and fire service personnel continued the rescue operation.
Ulipur Police Station Officer-in-Charge Golam Mortuza and Upazila Nirbahi Officer Md. Ataur Rahman confirmed the child's death and reported ongoing efforts to locate the missing passengers. Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Saidul Arif visited the scene and confirmed the child's death but could not verify the status of the missing passengers.
