Resort in Chandpur drifts into river, later rescued

The Dhonagoda River View floating resort in Matlab North sub-district, Chandpur, broke free from its jetties due to a powerful tidal current and drifted into the river with tourists onboard on May 18, 2026.

According to a report by The Delta Lens, the ropes securing the structure snapped around 5pm, causing the resort to float towards the middle of the Dhonagoda River. The incident lasted for approximately eight hours before the resort was recovered around 1am.

The incident has raised serious questions about the safety of unlicensed floating establishments. Local residents reported that the resort lacked the necessary administrative approval.

Mahmuda Kulsum Moni, the Upazila Executive Officer, stated that the district administration had previously issued a notice for its removal. Furthermore, the facility was a known illegal structure built over the riverbed, and this incident follows similar accidents in the country’s water transport sector involving overcrowding and regulatory failures.

While the owner claimed that only staff were onboard and no tourists were inside the structure, authorities managed to recover the property. Although the owner insisted there was no major damage, locals continue to demand stricter monitoring to prevent future tragic incidents.