A New Zealand family left Cox’s Bazar on Wednesday after spending 50 days in the district following a boat accident that killed their 16-year-old son.
John Edward Pudney, 74, his wife Bella, 36, and their younger son Ralph, 13, flew from the coastal town to Dhaka at around 4:30 pm on October 14.
The family had been staying at Parjatan Motel Shaibal under the supervision of the district administration since their wooden vessel, Island Girl, sank in the sea on August 25.
The boat had been built by Pudney and his family over nearly two and a half years as part of their dream of travelling the world by sea and eventually returning to New Zealand. The accident claimed the life of their elder son, Albert, 16, while the other family members survived.
Additional Deputy Commissioner Tasnim Jahan bid the family farewell on behalf of the district administration. Officials said the family had received accommodation, food and security during their stay.
Shaibal manager Raihan Uddin Ahmed said the family received the necessary facilities and expressed gratitude for the support they received in Bangladesh. They were also given local products as farewell gifts.
Tasnim said the family was initially scheduled to leave on October 7, but complications with the passport, visa, and air ticket delayed their departure.
According to a report signed by the Cox’s Bazar deputy commissioner and sent to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on October 13, the family’s accommodation, meals and laundry expenses from August 26 to October 14 totalled Tk 424,627.
The bill included Tk 200,000 for accommodation after a 20 per cent discount on an air-conditioned deluxe room, Tk 221,507 for food and Tk 3,120 for laundry. The bill was sent to Nadisa Fernando, a consular and property officer at the New Zealand High Commission in Colombo, to arrange payment.
According to district administration officials, the family’s boat sank between Nazirar Tek in Cox’s Bazar municipality and Sonadia Island while they were travelling by sea without permission. Coast Guard and Fire Service personnel rescued three family members alive. Albert’s body was recovered from the beach near Samitipara at around 5:00 pm the following day.
An autopsy was conducted on September 13 following instructions from the Ministry of Home Affairs. Albert’s body was subsequently handed over to his father, and his cremation was completed at a Hindu crematorium in Cox’s Bazar on September 15 with the consent of the family and the New Zealand embassy.
District administration officials said the family had been living in Cox’s Bazar for about two years and later made their home aboard Island Girl, which cost more than Tk 15 million to build.
The family was reportedly heading towards Chattogram to address visa-related issues when the boat sank. Officials, citing information from the family, said Albert’s life jacket clip may not have been properly fastened. He could not swim and had special needs.
Earlier, on April 7, adverse weather damaged Island Girl as it crossed the Maheshkhali Channel, forcing the family to take shelter on Sonadia Island. The family later reported being attacked by miscreants, who stole cameras, mobile phones, passports, dollars, and other belongings. The Coast Guard rescued them on April 10, and most of the stolen items were subsequently recovered.
By Tarekur Rahman
Photo: Tarekur Rahman
