Rescuers on Monday recovered launch 'ML Afsar Uddin', which was capsized in the river Shitalakhya at Char Sayedpur in Narayanganj on Sunday afternoon.

Rescue ship Pratyay of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority managed to lift the launch out of the water at about 5:35 am on Monday. No bodies were found inside the launch.

As the divers recovered one more body from in front of Shah Cement Factory in Muktapur around 10:30am, the death toll rose to seven.

Narayanganj Fire Service and Civil Defence inspector Golam Mostafa said, "Our two units are still working in search of the missing people."

Fifteen passengers were rescued but 17 are still missing. The launch master Billal Hossain, 45, is also missing. The bodies of two children, two men and two women were recovered till Sunday night.

According to the witnesses, the passenger launch 'ML Ashrafuddin,' which left Narayanganj launch ghat around 2:00pm, capsized in the river Shitalakhya being hit by a cargo vessel 'MV Ruposhi-9' at about 2:30pm.

BDST: 1311 HRS, MAR 21, 2022
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