Bandarban tragedy: Bodies of 2 children found, their mother still missing

Divers from the local fire service on Thursday morning recovered the bodies of two children who were swept away, along with their mother, by the onrush of hill water at Sainga Tripura Para in Sadar upazila of Bandarban.

The victims were identified as Krishnabati Tripura, 40, her 12-year-old daughter Bajerung and her five-year-old son Pradeep.

On Wednesday morning, Krishnabati, along with her two children and her sister, went to the hill area for jhum cultivation, said Jagadish Tripura, a member of ward 3 of Sadar union council.

In the afternoon, while they were returning home, heavy rains lashed the area. The trio was swept away by the onrush of the hill water in the local river while crossing a fountain amid rains, said Abdul Quader, in charge of Milchhari police camp.

Rumabati Tripura, Krishnabati's 16-year-old sister, however, survived the tragedy.

On information, divers from the local fire service went to the spot and conducted a rescue operation. However, they could recover the bodies of the two children only this morning.

"Divers from the local fire service recovered the body of Bajerung from near the spot around 7am, while Pradeep's body was fished out of Sangu river," said Jerin Akter, superintendent of Bandarban police.