2 girls drown in boat capsize

The bodies of two Meherpur schoolgirls, who drowned in a boat capsize in the Bhairab River on Sunday afternoon, were found yesterday morning.

The deceased are Tania Khatun, 13, daughter of Habibur Rahman, and Bobita Khatun, 13, daughter of Hasem Ali of Rasikpur in Mujibnagar upazila of Meherpur district.

They were students of Class VII at Bagoan High School in the upazila.

According to police and other sources, around 32 students boarded a boat to cross the river after their school closed at about 2:30pm.

The boat capsized in mid-river due to overload, several students told journalists.

The students, excepting the two girls, swam ashore. Six of them fell sick and   are undergoing treatment at the hospital. 

Locals found their bodies around 15 kilometres downstream at about 7:30am yesterday.