At least three farmers are supposed to be drowned in the river Padma as two boats capsized and sank in the river near Talamari Bijoynagar Shahpur area of the city on Sunday morning . Fire-service personnel of Rajshahi were, however, searching for those missing farmers.
According to Fire Service and local sources, around 6-15 in the morning a shallow engine driven boat was carrying nearly 25 farmers to Majchar under the river Padma.
The farmers were going there to work as farm hands.
The boat sank in the middle of the river due to excessive passengers and huge waves in the river water.
All the passengers except three managed to swim ashore but those three passengers failed to swim ashore and remained missing. The missing farmers have been identified as Sadeque Ali and Nazu of Mijan crossing area and Nabi of Dashmari Satbaria area.
Latiful Bari, Station Officer of Rajshahi Sadar Fire Service informed, except those three farmers, one more anonymous woman remained missing.
Being informed, Fire Service personnel start rescue operation soon after the capsizing of the boat. While the rescue operation was continuing, another boat carrying straw (Kash) from Majchar also capsized around 8-30 am. The boat was carrying three passengers.
Fire Service personnel and the members of BGB rescued all the three passengers of the drowned boat. Both the boats were plunged into deep river water.
Fire Service Officer Latiful Bari informed the operation for rescuing the missing passengers and the boats was continuing.