Chattogram labourer's body found 18 hours after being swept away in Bay

The body of a labourer who went missing while bathing at Banshbaria ferry ghat in Sitakunda upazila of Chattogram was recovered by a fire service diving team this morning (18 May), around 18 hours after the incident.

The deceased, identified as Mohammad Shihab Miah, 20, was from Ukhiya in Cox's Bazar district, according to fire service officials.

Shihab went missing around 4pm yesterday after being swept away by strong currents while bathing in the sea near the ghat. He had gone into the water with a colleague after finishing work.

While the colleague managed to swim back, Shihab was pulled under by the current. Locals alerted the fire service, which initiated a search and rescue operation.

A diving team from Kumira Fire Service began the search that evening, later joined by a team from Agrabad Fire Station. Despite several hours of effort, he could not be found that day. The operation resumed this morning.

Senior Station Officer Abdullah Al Mamun of Kumira Fire Service said, "We recovered his body from the seabed about 500 yards from the ghat around 10am."

The body was later handed over to Shihab's family members.

Locals said Shihab had worked as a labourer loading and unloading goods from vehicles at the ferry ghat.