40 people dead after fire breaks out on packed ferry in Dhaka

A massive fire swept through a crowded river ferry in southern Bangladesh early Friday, leaving at least 40 dead and 150 injured, as passengers jumped off the vessel and swam to the shore, officials said.

The blaze broke out around 3 a.m. on the MV Avijan-10 off the coast of Jhalokati district on the Sugandha River.

The United News of Bangladesh news agency quoted fire officer Kamal Uddin as saying the ferry was carrying 800 passengers from Dhaka the capital, to Barguna, nearly 250 kilometres (155 miles) to the south.

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