A Bangladeshi ferry carrying at least 200 passengers has capsized in a river near the capital Dhaka, leaving at least six dead and hundreds more missing, police and officials have said.
The M.V. Miraj-4 ferry, which had been travelling from Dhaka to Shariatpur, capsized in stormy weather in the Meghna River at Rusulpur.
"We are receiving confusing figures on how many passengers were on board when it sank, but the number could range from 200 to 350," district government administrator Saiful Hasan said.
"Six bodies have been recovered so far."
Local police chief Ferdous Ahmed also confirmed the recovery of the six bodies, including those of women and children.
"The ferry is completely under water. We are now trying to locate it," Mr Ahmed said.
A rescue vessel is on its way to the site of the accident, which occurred at about 3:30pm (local time).
"We are heading to the spot with [a] rescue team," deputy commissioner of Munshiganj Saiful Hassan Badal said.
Ferry accidents are common in Bangladesh, which is criss-crossed with more than 230 rivers. Experts blame poorly maintained vessels, flaws in design and overcrowding for most of the tragedies.
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