Dispute Leads to Boat Attack, Youth Missing in River

A violent incident unfolded on the Halda River in Hathazari, Chattogram, when passengers returning from a local fair were attacked while travelling by boat. During the attack, one young man fell into the river and has since been missing. Authorities have so far recovered his jacket and mobile phone from the river approximately three kilometres downstream.

The incident occurred between 1:00 am and 2:00 am on Saturday at the Ramdas Munshi’s Hat area in the Uttar Madarsha Union of Hathazari. The missing youth has been identified as Mohammad Sabbir, aged 19, son of Abdul Mannan from Moishkorom village, Ward 7, Urikirchar Union, Raujan.

According to family members, local residents, and police sources, the dispute began earlier in the evening during a fair at the Ramdas Munshi shrine, when arguments broke out between two groups of young men. Later, one group launched an attack on a boat carrying the other group as they returned to Raujan. Witnesses reported that the attackers pulled the boat toward the riverbank and began striking the passengers with sticks. Three young men fell into the river; two managed to swim to safety, but Sabbir reportedly sank after being hit on the head.

Despite more than 24 hours passing, fire service divers have been unable to locate him. His family remains stationed along the riverbank, anxiously awaiting news.

A witness, Anowarul Azim, told local media that Sabbir and several companions had attended the shrine fair before the attack. He added that locals later found Sabbir’s jacket and mobile phone floating near Jelepara, roughly three kilometres from the original incident site.

Sub-Inspector Mohammad Ramzan Ali of the Halda River Police Boat Unit described the incident: “After boarding the boat, some youths grabbed it and held it near the bank, while others struck passengers with sticks. Several individuals jumped into the river. CCTV footage of the area captured the sequence of events. We have yet to identify the attackers, but both police and fire service divers continue to search for the missing youth.”

The incident has caused alarm among residents, raising concerns about river safety and local security during fairs and festivals. Authorities have called for calm while intensifying efforts to identify the perpetrators.

Incident Summary

The search operation continues as the community and authorities hope for a safe resolution. Residents have urged vigilance during river crossings and stressed the importance of immediate reporting of violent incidents.