Launch sinks in Shitalakshya, four bodies recovered

A Munshiganj-bound launch with more than 100 passengers sank in the Shitalakshya River near at the Koila Ghat in Narayanganj as cargo ship MV Ashraf Uddin hit it.

The fire service has so far recovered four bodies in the incident, said Abdullah Arefin, Deputy Assistant Director of Fire Service and Civil Defense.

Shahjahan Sikder, public relations officer of the fire service, said the passenger launch bound for Munshiganj capsized when it was hit by a cargo ship MV City 9 in Narayanganj around 2.30 pm on Sunday. 

Fire service diving team from Dhaka is on the way to spot to salvage it, he added.

According to the control room of Narayanganj Fire Service, the accident took place near the under-constructed Nasim Osman Bridge between Al Amin Nagar and Syedpur of Bandar Police Station. 

The MV Ashraf Uddin launch was heading towards Munshiganj from Narayanganj's Ghat No. 5, said fire service personnel.