Buriganga Launch Capsize: 30 Bodies Recovered

Bodies of 30 people have been recovered as a launch capsized in the Buriganga river after it was hit by another launch on Monday morning at the Shyambazar area of Old Dhaka, .

Of the victims, 23 are men, five women and two children. However, the identities of the deceased could not be known immediately.

Divers recovered the bodies from the area this morning, said Duty Officer of Fire Service and Civil Defence Headquarters Rozina Islam.

Morning Bird, which was coming to Dhaka from Munshiganj, capsized in the river after it was hit by another launch Moyur-2 near Sadarghat launch terminal around 9:30am, said Shahadat Hossain, a duty officer of the fire service headquarters.

The launch was reportedly carrying over 100 passengers, according to local police.

On information, divers from Sadarghat fire station rushed to the spot and started rescue operation with the help of locals to rescue the missing people, fire service sources said.

"Three firefighting units are conducting the rescue operation," said officer-in-charge of Sadarghat River police station Rezaul Karim Bhuiyan.    

Coastguards and river police also joined the rescue operations.

According to witnesses, around 40 passengers managed to swim ashore with the help of locals.

AKM Arif Uddin, joint director at BIWTA (Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority), said a salvage ship, 'Hamja', reached the spot from Narayanganj and conducting an operation to rescue the sunken launch.

He said most of the passengers had been able to swim ashore. Fire service divers are working to rescue the missing passengers, he added.

However, Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority has formed a four-member committee to investigate the launch capsize and asked to submit a report as soon as possible, said its Chairman Commodore Golam Sadeq.