A passenger launch carrying devotees to the annual Char Monai religious gathering in Barishal sank in the Kirtonkhola River on Wednesday afternoon. The vessel, named MV Manik-4, had arrived from Sirajdikhan in Munshiganj with about 300 passengers. It was anchored near the riverbank during high tide, but as the tide receded, the launch tilted and sank. All passengers were onshore attending the event at the time, and no casualties or missing persons were reported.

Divers from the Barishal Fire Service and Civil Defence unit, along with officials from the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA), launched a joint rescue operation shortly after the incident. Authorities are monitoring the situation closely, and the rescue ship Hamza may be deployed from Barishal city if needed. Local administration and event organizers confirmed that passenger safety measures are being maintained.

As of 3:30 p.m., rescue efforts were ongoing, and officials continued to assess the condition of the sunken vessel to determine further recovery actions.