A schoolboy went missing while bathing in the Bakkhali River after playing football with friends in Ramu, Cox’s Bazar, on Wednesday afternoon.
The missing student, Md Shahin, son of Nurul Amin, is a Class 9 student at Mansur Ali Sikdar Ideal High School in Rajarkul Union.
The incident occurred in the Sikdar Para area of Ward‑3 under the union.
According to local resident Mohammad Rafiq, Shahin and two friends entered the river after playing football at Badamtoli field beside the riverbank. They were swimming using a banana plant as a float when Shahin suddenly went underwater. His friends tried to rescue him but failed, while locals later searched the river without finding him.
Shahin’s elder brother, Md Faisal, said, “My brother went under water while taking a bath after playing with friends. He has not been found anywhere since then. We are searching along the riverbanks and surrounding areas. We demand that the rescue operation be intensified immediately.”
A team from the Ramu Fire Service and Civil Defence Station reached the scene and began searching for Shahin. With no diver team in Cox’s Bazar, a team was sent from Chattogram to Ramu.
Ramu Fire Service and Civil Defence Station Officer Abdul Kader Chowdhury said the divers would join the rescue operation after reaching Ramu in the morning.
Strong currents and the river’s depth are hampering the search, while relatives and locals are urging the diving team to arrive soon.
