Sixteen fishermen were rescued by a Bangladesh Navy team on Sunday night after their vessel drifted for three days near the Pashur River adjoining the Bay of Bengal. The fishermen had left Rayenda in Sarankhola upazila of Bagerhat on 19 August to fish at sea. Their boat’s engine failed on 21 August after two days of fishing, leaving them unable to control the vessel.

The group could not contact relatives or authorities because the boat remained outside mobile network coverage. On the night of 23 August, the vessel entered an area with network access. A fisherman named Lokman then called the national emergency service 999 and reported their situation.

Constable Fazle Rabbi Mia received the call, while 999 police dispatcher SI Md Robiul Islam coordinated with Bagerhat river police, Mongla Coast Guard and the Navy control room. A Navy rescue vessel began searching for the fishermen, though network problems initially delayed identification of their exact location. After a lengthy search, rescuers located the vessel near the Pashur River and recovered all 16 fishermen along with the disabled boat.