Ukhiya, Oct 30 (V7N) – A 15-year-old madrasa student drowned after being swept away by waves and currents while bathing in the sea at Inani Beach in Ukhiya, Cox’s Bazar, on Thursday.
The body of Mohammad Shanto Islam was recovered around 12:30pm by members of the Coast Guard, Tourist Police and beach workers following a search operation.
Shanto was the son of Mozzamel Hossain, a resident of Keraniganj in Dhaka. He was a student at a local madrasa.
Ukhiya Police Station Officer-in-Charge Atikur Rahman Majumder said a group of 15 to 16 madrasa students had travelled from Keraniganj to visit Inani Beach. They entered the sea to bathe at around 11:30am when several students were swept away by waves and currents.
People on the beach rushed to help. Fifteen students were rescued alive, but Shanto remained missing.
Mahbub Alam, supervisor of beach workers deployed by the district administration, said beach workers, Tourist Police and Coast Guard personnel began searching for Shanto after he went missing. His body was later found floating in the sea around 12:30pm.
The officer-in-charge said police prepared an inquest report before sending the body to the morgue at Cox’s Bazar District Sadar Hospital for an autopsy.
Recent Deaths Raise Beach Safety Concerns
The incident comes two weeks after five tourists went missing while bathing at Pechar Dwip beach in Himchhari, Cox’s Bazar, on October 14. Three bodies were recovered that afternoon, while the remaining two were found the following day by Fire Service personnel and beach workers. Three of the victims were university students.
The successive incidents have renewed concerns about tourist safety at Cox’s Bazar’s beaches, particularly the risks posed by strong waves and currents. They have also highlighted the importance of observing beach safety warnings and following instructions from lifeguards and rescue personnel.
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