Two days after a boat capsized in the Padma River in Rajshahi, the bodies of father Kawsar Ali, 60, and his son Ziarul Islam, 30, were recovered from the water. Fire Service personnel found the bodies and handed them over to the family, who later arranged for their burial. The boat had capsized last Tuesday afternoon near the Barakuthi area of Rajshahi city while returning from cutting casuarina trees on a river island.
Kawsar Ali's shallow engine-driven boat sank in the Padma River, carrying six other passengers, including his wife Zahera Begum. After the boat sank, they attempted to swim ashore. Another boat came to their rescue. All passengers, hailing from the Shyampur Balughat area on the bank of the Padma River under Katakhali Police Station in Rajshahi, were engaged in cutting casuarina trees and straw from the river island for sale.
Following the boat capsize, Kawsar Ali and his son Ziarul Islam went missing. On Thursday morning, locals informed relatives that Kawsar Ali's body had floated in the Padma River in the Banglabazar area of Daulatpur Upazila in Kushtia. Later that noon, his son Ziarul's body was found nearby in the Talaimari area of Rajshahi. Fire Service personnel recovered the bodies and arranged for their burial.
Sumon Kaderi, Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Katakhali Police Station, confirmed that an unnatural death case has been filed at his police station in connection with the incident. The exact cause of the boat capsize remains under investigation, though initial reports suggest it may have been due to strong currents or overloading.
