At least two people were killed and more than 50 others injured when two passenger launches collided in the Meghna River early Friday amid dense fog.
The identities of the deceased could not be confirmed immediately, said Babu Lal Boidya, Deputy Director (Traffic) of the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA), Chandpur Zone.
The accident took place in the Horina area of Chandpur Sadar upazila when a launch named MV Adventure-9 rammed into another vessel, MV Zakir Somrat-3, leaving two passengers dead on the spot.
However, unofficial sources claimed that the death toll could be as high as four.
According to witnesses, the Dhaka-bound MV Zakir Somrat-3, which had departed from Ghosherhat in Bhola, was navigating the Haimchar waterway shortly after 2 am.
At the same time, the Barishal-bound MV Adventure-9, carrying passengers returning from a BNP programme at the 300 Feet area, reportedly lost its course due to thick fog and crashed into Zakir Somrat-3.
