At least eight people were killed and five others remained missing as a trawler capsized in a tributary of the Padma near Subachani Bazar under Tongibari upazila in Munshiganj Saturday night.

The accident occurred as the trawler carrying 46 people of a picnic party collided with a bulkhead at about 8:00pm, police and locals said.

The identities of the deceased could not be known immediately. Two of the deceased are women, two male children and four others are teenage ones, said Louhajang Fire Service station officer Kayes Ahmed.

He said that five remained missing until 12:15am.

He said that divers from Dhaka rushed to the spot and joined the rescue operation. 'The rescue operation is goiung on.' he said.

Md Sekendar Byapari, chairman of Outshahi Union Parishad, said that he came to know about the trawler capsize and that a total of 46 people were on board.

Munshiganj superintendent of police Mohammad Aslam Khan said that all the deceased were residents of Latabdi union.

'Rescue operations are underway to find out the missing ones,' he said.

He said that they seized the bulkhead but its drives and other staff managed to flee.

The police officer said that they were conducting raids to trace and arrest them.

Munshiganj deputy commissioner Md Mahfuzur Rahman said that they formed a five-member probe committee headed by additional district magistrate Abu Jafar Ripon to investigate into the incident.

The committee has been asked to submit its report within three working days, he said.