Local authorities say the incident occurred on the Tetulia River, near the town of Lalmohan, on Bhola island, some 150 kilometers south of the capital, Dhaka. They say many of the passengers were going home for the Muslim holiday Eid al-Adha.

A Bangladeshi ferry carrying more than 1,000 passengers sank late Friday, leaving at least 30 people dead and some 45 others missing. 

Local authorities say the incident occurred on the Tetulia River, near the town of Lalmohan, on Bhola island, some 150 kilometers south of the capital, Dhaka.  They say many of the passengers were going home for the Muslim holiday Eid al-Adha.

Officials say the vessel tipped over when passengers were disembarking at a ferry terminal.  Rescuers rushed to the scene to search for people trapped in cabins on lower levels.

Fatal ferry accidents are common in Bangladesh.  Many of the incidents are blamed on poor safety standards, lax enforcement, and boats that are often loaded far beyond capacity.

VOA | Some information for this report was provided by AP and Reuters.