Trawler capsizes in Naf River: 4 die, several others go missing

Four individuals died and several others went missing after a trawler, carrying Rohingya refugees, capsized in the Naf River while attempting to enter Bangladesh illegally from Myanmar. 
Teknaf Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Sheikh Ehsan Uddin confirmed the incident on Saturday evening, adding, "At least four bodies, including those of a child and three women, were seen floating in the river. 
"Local residents reported the sighting near the Shah Porir Dwip and Domdomia areas of the Naf River estuary. Efforts are underway to recover the bodies with the help of local volunteers," he said.
The incident occurred on Friday at midnight near the western side of Shah Porir Dwip. So far, Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) has rescued 25 Rohingya survivors, but many remain missing, including a BGB soldier, confirmed Lt. Col. Md. Ashiqur Rahman, commanding officer of BGB’s Teknaf 2nd Battalion.  
According to him, the trawler sank while attempting to infiltrate Bangladesh illegally via the sea route. BGB personnel stationed near the shore immediately responded and, with the help of local fishermen, managed to rescue 25 individuals. However, during the rescue operation, BGB soldier Sipahi Mohammad Belal, 28, went missing in the sea. His service rifle and four magazines were also reported missing.  
Eyewitnesses reported that a BGB patrol team spotted the Rohingya-laden boat floating near Shah Porir Dwip’s western shore. The missing soldier reportedly boarded the vessel before it capsized due to strong waves. A local fishing boat, owned by Mohammad Amin and operated by fisherman Shaker Majhi, had attempted to intercept the trawler before the incident.  
Mohammad Amin, the boat owner, stated that the BGB soldier had taken his fishing boat to stop the Rohingya vessel at sea. However, as they attempted to bring it ashore, strong waves overturned the vessel. He confirmed that 25 Rohingya refugees were rescued, but the soldier remained missing. Search operations are still ongoing.  
The incident has also been confirmed by Abdul Gafur, General Secretary of the Shah Porir Dwip West Para Fishermen’s Dock. He stated that fishermen informed him of the midnight trawler capsize and the missing BGB soldier. While several Rohingya refugees have been rescued, search operations for the missing continue in the rough waters of the Naf River.

ASU/SA