A visitor is reported missing after accidentally falling into the swift flow of Nafakhum waterfall in the Thanchi upazila of Bandarban while attempting to take a selfie, as per local reports. The incident took place yesterday afternoon, but due to the absence of mobile network coverage in the remote region, the news surfaced only this morning.
Nasir Uddin Majumder, the Officer-in-Charge of Thanchi Police Station, stated, “We were informed yesterday evening about a visitor going missing near Nafakhum. However, we are still waiting for further details to be verified.” The missing individual was identified as Iqbal Hossain, aged 24, hailing from Rasulnagar village in the Saturia union of Demra, Dhaka district.
Md Abdullah Al Faisal, the Upazila Nirbahi Officer of Thanchi, mentioned, “Access to the Nafakhum area for tourists is presently restricted. Despite this, the group entered without informing the authorities. A collaborative rescue mission involving BGB, fire service, and local administration is in progress to locate the missing visitor.”
As per local sources, a group of 17 tourists from Demra in Dhaka journeyed to Thanchi and trespassed into the off-limits Nafakhum region without authorization. While enjoying the waterfall, Iqbal accidentally slipped into the strong current and disappeared. The group couldn’t immediately alert the authorities due to the lack of network connectivity.
This morning, five members of the group reported the incident to the nearest camp of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and subsequently to Thanchi Police Station and the upazila administration. A search and rescue operation is currently underway, involving the administration, BGB, police, and fire service personnel.