Two passenger launches collided on the Meghna River in the Harina area of Chandpur, leaving at least two people dead and several others injured.
The collision involved the Dhaka-bound Zakir Samrat-3 and Adventure-9 launches.
The accident occurred between 1am and 2am on Thursday, said Babulaal Baidya, deputy director (marine safety) of the Chandpur unit of the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA).
Chandpur River Port Traffic Inspector Abdul Mannan said the collision took place late at night due to dense fog on the Meghna River. Passengers aboard the Zakir Samrat launch panicked following the incident.
While reports confirm two deaths, he said the exact number of casualties and the identities of the deceased could not yet be verified. After the accident, the launch continued its journey to Sadarghat in Dhaka.
According to preliminary information, one person died on board one of the launches, while another injured passenger died later near the Mohanpur area while being taken to Dhaka. It has not yet been confirmed which launch the deceased passengers were travelling on.
Following the collision, panic spread among passengers. Authorities have launched an investigation to determine the cause of the accident.
