Dozens dead as ferry sinks in Bangladesh

Dozens were feared missing Sunday when a ferry sank in central Bangladesh after colliding with a cargo ship, police said.

Survivors said the twin-deck MV Mostofa was carrying between 70-150 passengers when it capsized in the middle of the Padma river, local police chief Rakibuz Zaman told AFP.

"Some 50 people swam ashore or were rescued by other vessels," he added.

Ferries in Bangladesh do not normally keep passenger lists, which makes it difficult to establish how many are missing after an accident.

Boat capsizes are common in the riverine and densely populated nation.