According to authorities, a large fire ripped through a river ferry in southern Bangladesh early Friday, killing at least 37 people and injuring 72 others when passengers leaped from the boat and swam to land.
On the MV Avijan-10, a fire broke out at 3 a.m. off the shore of Jhalokati district on the Sugandha River.
According to the United News of Bangladesh news agency, the boat was carrying 800 passengers from Dhaka, the capital, to Barguna, around 250 kilometers (155 miles) to the south.
Firefighters have retrieved 37 corpses and rescued 72 injured passengers, according to fire officer Fazlul Haque. He stated that the rescue effort is still underway and that the number of casualties is expected to rise.
The cause of the fire has yet to be determined.
Ferry mishaps are prevalent in Bangladesh, which is crisscrossed by 130 rivers, and are frequently blamed on overpopulation and loose standards. Ferries are a popular mode of transportation, particularly in the southern and northeastern parts of the country.
A ferry collided with another vessel and sank outside of Dhaka in April, killing 25 passengers.
