Over 80 killed in Bangladesh accidents

Dhaka, Nov 29 : More than 30 people were killed in road accidents in Bangladesh during the Eid-ul-Azha festival rush Saturday while 53 died when an overloaded boat capsized, media reports said Sunday.

The toll in the boat accident at Bhola in the southern region touched 53 Sunday evening as rescue vessel M.V. Hamza reached the accident spot at Nizapur, 24 hours after the accident, Bdnews24.com website reported.

Some 103 passengers were still reported to be missing.

The capsized vessel M.V. Coco-4, bound for Lalmohon, carried more than triple its capacity with over 1,500 passengers. It overturned late Friday at Nizapur terminal, some 40 km from the district town.

An unusual and sudden rise in the river's water level caused the tragedy.

Elsewhere, across the nation, 32 people died Friday and Saturday in road accidents when drivers of over-crowded buses lost control, media reports said.

A report from Mymensingh in northern region said nine persons had died in the road accident, while 30 others were injured, Star Online said.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, currently attending the Commonwealth summit at Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, sent a message of condolence for the dead.

The government Sunday evening announced a probe into the boat accident.