30 dead as launch capsizes in Bangladesh river

At least 30 people died as a passenger launch with around 50 passengers sank in the river Buriganga near in Bangladesh capital Dhaka on Monday morning, reported New Age, a leading English language newspaper published from Dhaka.

Fire service control room deputy assistant director Mohammad Enayet Hossain told New Age at about 1:15pm that at least 30 bodies were recovered from the river.

Of the victims, 18 were men, seven were women and three were children, he said.

A five-diver team of fire service are conducting search and rescue operation at the spot to recover bodies.

Fire Service duty official said that the launch, Morning Bird of Dhaka-Munshiganj route, sank after it was hit by another launch, Mayur-2 of Chandpur route, at about 9:30am.

The official could not confirm the number of missing passengers.

Local people said that most of the passengers of the capsized launch were small business people working in nearby areas of Sadarghat.

A rescue ship of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport is on its way to recover the capsized launch.

A huge number of Bangladesh Navy, coast guard, and river police members have been deployed at the accident spot.