An overcrowded ferry crosses the River Shitalakkhya, while a rescue team is seen on right after another ferry was struck by a sand barge and capsized in Narayanganj.
An overcrowded ferry crosses the River Shitalakkhya, while a rescue team is seen on right after another ferry was struck by a sand barge and capsized in Narayanganj in a 2010 file photo. REUTERS/Andrew Biraj

At least 30 people were killed and 130 others were missing after a ferry with more than 250 people on board sank in a river in Southern Bangladesh Tuesday.

The ferry, named MV Shariatpur-1, which was traveling from Shariatpur to Dhaka, collided with an oil-laden barge on the Meghana river in Munshiganj district.

According to unconfirmed reports, around 50 people were able to swim ashore while another ferry, which was around, rescued 30 others. A search was on for the rest of the passengers.

There were conflicting reports about the number of people on board as the local police said there were around 200 persons abroad the ferry while survivors said there were around 300 passengers on board, an npr.org report said.

It is difficult to estimate the exact number of people on board as most of the ferries don't keep a list of passengers on board.

Ferry accidents are common in Bangladesh, which has a wide network of waterways. Several people get killed every year in ferry mishaps and mainly the poor safety standards are blamed for the accidents.

People depend heavily on waterways as an easy and cheap mode of transport and ferries are always overcrowded, increasing the risks of accidents.