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Ferry sinks in Bangladesh

Shipping officials in Bangladesh say there were about 150 people on board a ferry that sank in the south of the country, and that scores of people are feared to have drowned.

The chairman of the river transport corporation in the capital Dhaka, Shahidul Islam Chowdhury has told the AFP news agency that 35 passengers have been rescued.

The ferry, which was on its way to Dhaka, sank near the southeastern port of Chandpur on Friday night after it was hit by a storm.

A government shipping official said there were between 125 and 150 passengers on the ferry at the time of the accident.

Earlier reports referred to 400 people on board.

Most Bangladeshi ferries plying local routes do not maintain passenger lists or even issue tickets.

04/05/2002 17:20:48 | ABC Radio Australia News

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