Five people have died in an accident while boarding a launch at Dhaka’s Sadarghat.

The accident occurred around 3pm on Thursday, according to Mahfuzur Rahman Mia, chief of the Kotwali Police Station.

“Those passengers were waiting at the pontoon when a rope tore and the launch rammed them,” he said.

Two launches – the MV Tashrif-4 and the MV Pubali-1 were tied to the No. 11 pontoon with rope, the Fire Service said in a statement.

“Another launch named the Farhan was trying to dock between the two launches and the MV Tashrif-4’s rope tore,” the statement added.

The dead have been identified as Rabiul, 19, Bellal, 25, his wife Mukta, 26, their daughter Maisha, 3 - all identified with a single name - and Ripon Howlader, 38, said Abul Kalam Azad, chief of the Sadarghat River Police Station.

The bodies of the victims have been taken to Mitford Hospital.