Bangladesh rescue workers find 18 bodies after ferry capsizes

Bangladeshi rescue workers have recovered 18 bodies since an overcrowded ferry capsized on Wednesday under the weight of a collapsing river bank, police said on Thursday.

Bangladeshi rescue workers have recovered 18 bodies since an overcrowded ferry capsized on Wednesday under the weight of a collapsing river bank, police said on Thursday.

Rescue workers look for survivors after a ferry sank in Barisal, Bangladesh, on Wednesday. (REUTERS)

Low-lying Bangladesh, with extensive inland waterways and slack safety standards, has an appalling record of ferry accidents, with casualties sometimes running into the hundreds.

Overcrowding is a common factor but little is done to improve safety even though the government continually vows to toughen regulations.

The accident happened in the southern district of Barisal.