A passenger launch carrying more than 500 people narrowly escaped disaster after being caught in rough waves and a severe Nor’westers storm on the Dhaleshwari River in Munshiganj on Sunday evening.
The launch, Eagle-9, was travelling from Sadarghat to Chandpur with around 500 passengers. It came under the storm near the Kathpatti area of Munshiganj.
Panic spread among passengers as the storm intensified. Strong winds and turbulent waves disrupted control of the vessel. Women, children and elderly passengers cried out in fear, while many ran in different directions inside the launch.
Under pressure from the waves, the vessel got stuck on a sandbank.
On information, the officer-in-charge of Muktarpur River Police Outpost rushed to the spot with a team and carried out the rescue operation. He said the entire rescue was completed smoothly.
Through coordination by the Muktarpur River Police Outpost, another launch, MV Jamal, arrived from Sadarghat at around 9:00pm. All stranded passengers were safely transferred to the vessel.
Passengers expressed relief after being shifted quickly without any damage or casualties.
