The death toll in the collision between passenger carrying speedboat and sand-laden bulkhead in the Padma has risen to 26.

The accident took place in the River Padma near Banglabazar Ferry Jetty under Shibchar upazila in Madaripur as the speedboat turned upside down after colliding with the bulkhead near the ferry jetty at about 7:00am on Monday, Shibchar police station inspector (investigation) Amir Hossain told New Age.

He said that the speedboat was carrying passengers from Shimulia Ferry Jetty in Munshiganj and 25 bodies were recovered from the river till 9:45am while some other people remained missing.

He said that they identified one of the deceased as Tahir Ali, 35, of Rajor upazila in Madaripur.

Shibchar upazila nirbahi officer Md Asaduzzaman at about 10:45am said that one more body was recovered near the spot, rising the death toll to 26.

Of the deceased, 22 are males, three are children and the remaining one is a female, he said.

The UNO said that they were trying to know the identities of the victims.

Inspector Amir Hossain said that they had rescued five people and that the fire service and civil defence personnel, police and local people were conducting rescue operations in the river.