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Death toll reached 41 and at least 38 others remained missing in the boat capsize in the Karatoya River near Auliya Ghat under Boda upazila in the district. In the rescue operation, 17 bodies have been recovered till filling of the report this afternoon since the morning today after a boat capsized in the Karatoya River on Sunday afternoon, Boda Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Sujoy Kumar Roy said.
Among the deceased, 22 are women, 11 children and eight men. Earlier, 24 bodies were recovered after a boat carrying over a hundred passengers beyond its capacity capsized in the river in northern Panchagarh district.
Passengers were going to Badeshwari temple on the occasion of the celebration of Mahalaya, the auspicious occasion heralding the advent of goddess Durga. Deputy Commissioner (DC) Zahurul Islam said a five-member probe committee has been formed to look into the incident and the committee has been asked to submit its report by three working days.
The bodies of those identified have been handed over to their relatives, the DC added. Railways Minister Nurul Islam Sujan, State Minister for Religious Affairs Faridul Haque Khan, Thakurgaon-1 constituency lawmaker Ramesh Chandra Sen and Dinajpur-1 lawmaker Manoranjan Shil Gopal visited the scene.
END/TDM/MAS
