DHAKA, Feb 5: At least 12 people were killed and over 100 others injured when two passenger launches collided on a river in Bangladesh's southern district of Barisal, 112 kilometres from Dhaka, reports reaching here said. Some 20 other passengers remained missing till the evening.

The disaster happened when Dhaka-bound MV Sattar Khan hit Galachipa-bound MV Asha-Jawa amid dense fog at around 1:00am causing severe damage to the later vessel. The roof and body of MV "Asha-Jawa" were badly damaged, the survivors were reported as saying.

Both the double-decker launches were overloaded with passengers.