Bangladesh ferry collision kills at least 19 with dozens missing

A collision between an overloaded ferry and a sand carrier in the eastern Bangladeshi district of Brahmanbaria has claimed the lives of at least 19 people, with dozens more missing.

Anisur Rahman, chief police official in Brahmanbaria, said: “We have so far recovered 19 bodies. The rescue operation for those missing is ongoing.” Nine women and two children are among the dead, he added.

Officials said they did not know how many people are missing, but that more than 50 people had been aboard at the time of the collision.

Hundreds of people die each year in ferry accidents in Bangladesh’s extensive inland waterways — a country known for its lax maritime safety standards.

At least 26 died in May after a speed boat collided with an overloaded sand-laden bulk carrier on the Padma River.