A local leader of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) went missing after falling into the Padma River when a boat carrying 123 people hit a pillar of the Hardinge Bridge in Bheramara upazila of Kushtia district on Friday night.

The JCD leader was identified as Rakibuzzaman Rocky, member secretary of the Shailkupa municipality unit JCD in Jhenaidah.

Mohammad Zahedur Rahman, Officer-in-Charge of Bheramara Police Station, said a group of people hired a boat to visit the Solaiman Shah Shrine in Bheramara from Katla Ghat in Shailkupa of Jhenaidah district.

When the boat was returning after visiting the shrine, it was hit by a strong current, causing it to collide with a pillar of the bridge.

At one point, three people, including Rocky, fell into the river as the rear portion of the bulkhead boat collided with pillar No. 4 of the Hardinge Bridge.

Two of the victims, Liton and Wahab, were rescued, but Rocky remained missing.

Divers from the local fire service conducted a rescue operation but failed to trace Rocky until 1am on Saturday.

Bheramara Upazila Nirbahi Officer Mohammad Amirul Arafat, who visited the scene, said darkness and the strong river current were making the rescue operation difficult, while several government units were working at the scene.

Assistant Director of Kushtia Fire Service and Civil Defence Wadud Hossain said, “Due to the strong current in the Padma, it has become difficult to conduct the search operation at night.”