A Correspondent:
Bagerhat: The body of a tourist who went missing in the Sundarbans was recovered by the Forest Department and Bangladesh Coast Guard members near Alorkol in Sarankhola upazila of Bagerhat district on Saturday night, 35 hours after he was swept away by strong waves.
The deceased was identified as Md Riaz Ahmed, 28, son of Abul Bashar Dhali of Kathali Paschimpara in Bhaluka upazila of Mymensingh district.
Fishermen spotted his floating body near Tanar Matha Khal – about 1.5 kilometres from the spot where Riaz went missing – around 11pm and alerted the authorities, said Dipen Chandra Das, assistant conservator of forests (ACF) of the East Sundarbans’ Sarankhola Range.
Riaz was among 19 tourists aboard the vessel “Eco Tourism-2”, which left Kadamtala Forest Station under the Satkhira Range of the West Forest Division on November 5 for a trip to the Sundarbans.
On November 6, around noon, the vessel ran aground on a newly emerged shoal near Alorkol under the East Sundarbans’ Sarankhola Range.
At that time, a few fishermen and four tourists got into the water to help free the vessel. Suddenly, a strong wave swept Riaz away.
Following the incident, members of the Forest Department and Coast Guard launched a search operation to rescue him.
The body was handed over to Sarankhola Police Station for legal formalities, the official said.
