At least three people have been killed and dozens are missing after a crowded ferry capsized in the Panguchi river in Bangladesh's Bagerhat district, some 178 km southwest of the capital Dhaka, on Tuesday morning.
Masud Sarder, a deputy assistant director of the Bangladesh Fire Service and Civil Defence, told Xinhua that the ferry carrying some 40-50 passengers sank at about 10.30 a.m. (local time) Tuesday.
"The bodies of three women have already been recovered."
Sarder said rescue efforts and a search for the missing are under way by the Fire Service and Civil Defence authorities.
He said the ferry sank due to overloading. According to the official, many passengers managed to swim ashore after the ferry capsized.
He said rescuers have been struggling against a strong current and choppy river waters.
Ferry and boat disasters are common in Bangladesh, which is crisscrossed by about 250 rivers.
Ferries are still a key means of transport in the country, and most of them are often overcrowded.
(Source: Xinhua)
