A ferry on the Daulatdia-Paturia route capsizes in the middle of Padma River in Paturia of Manikganj district earlier Wednesday, January 17, 2024.

Syed Mushfiqur Rahman, superintendent of Naval Police, Faridpur Region, on Wednesday said that the anchored ferry “Rajanigandha” had a crack on its bottom because of which it sunk.

Besides, the ferry was very old and overloaded. He however could not confirm the bulkhead hitting the ferry.

While Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation (BIWTC) Aricha office DGM Shah Md Khaled Newaz claimed that the ferry sank due to the impact of the bulkhead, however, Nazmul, the driver of the truck in the ferry, claimed that the bottom of the ferry cracked and the ferry sank.

Nazmul said that his truck along with nine other trucks left Daulatdia on Tuesday at around 12am, but due to fog, the ferry was forced to anchor in the middle of the Padma River at 3am. Later on Wednesday around 8am, the bottom of the ferry formed a hole and water got inside the ferry causing it to sink.

A ferry “Rajanigandha” on the Daulatdia-Paturia route capsized in the middle of Padma River in Paturia of Manikganj district early Wednesday.

On information, divers from the local fire service rushed to the spot and managed to rescue six people. Meanwhile, the ferry’s second engine master Humayun Kabir, 45, is missing.