At least seven missing as ferry capsizes in Bangladesh's Meghna river

Dhaka: At least seven people went missing after a ferry capsized in the Meghna river in Bangladesh's Chandpur district on Tuesday.

The boat, carrying 50 passengers sank after being hit by an oil-laden vessel around 11.00 a.m. (local time) due to dense fog, Xinhua quoted a senior police officer as saying.

Many passengers swam to shore but seven remained missing, he said.

Ferry and boat disasters are common in Bangladesh, which is criss-crossed by about 250 rivers.

Ferry is still a key means of transport in the country, most of them are often over-crowded.