2,500 passengers make lucky escape

More than 2,500 passengers of a launch, heading home for Eid holidays, were saved Sunday after their vessel began taking in water in the Meghna River. The MV Karnaphuli-1 was going from Dhaka to Doulotkhan, when its 'bottom cracked open' at Kaliganj in Barisal's Mehendiganj Upazila at around 12:30 pm. "The old launch was carrying passengers beyond its capacity, when its bottom split. The launch was taking in water and was swiftly taken to shore," said Mehendiganj Police OC Asim Kumar. Launch manager Jashim Uddin, however, claimed the launch's bottom didn't break but the vessel tilted to its side under the weight of too many passengers.
    — bdnews24.com