At least 50 people were missing as a passenger launch capsized on Thursday morning in a river in Bangladesh's southern Barisal district, about 169 km away of capital Dhaka, local police said.

Chief of police in the district Tawfiq Mahbub Chowdhury told Xinhua on Thursday that the launch capsized with 150 passengers on board in Kirtonkhola river, one of the largest rivers in the country, after being hit by a cargo vessel from behind at around 6: 50 a.m. local time.

"Initially, it seemed that around 100 people are missing but now we have been confirmed that around 50 passengers of the ferry remained missing," he said, "We've found more passengers from nearby areas in sound health."

Another police official Sekandar Ali from the accident site told Xinhua over phone that many of the missing people are feared to have drowned in the river.

Ali said a rescue ship has already started its operation. Dense fog might be the reason behind the accident.

Rafiqul Islam, deputy director of the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA), who is in-charge of the rescue operation, said there is about 30 to 35 feet deep water in the area.

He said the launch was going to one terminal to another terminal of the district where ferry is the key means of transportation.

He said body of a woman has been recovered so far.

Ferry and boat disasters are common in Bangladesh, as the country is criss-crossed by about 250 rivers, and ferry is a key means of transport.

(Xinhua News Agency February 19, 2009)