An overloaded passenger ferry carrying up to 200 passengers has sunk on a river in central Bangladesh, police have said.

Authorities confirmed that around 50 people have been rescued after the boat sank around 19 miles south of the capital Dhaka on Monday. The ferry began its journey in Madaripur and was believed to be carrying between 170 and 200 passengers.

"We have heard that the ferry was overloaded with passengers and the river was rough," local police chief Tofazzal Hossain told news agency Agence France-Presse.

Ferry accidents are common in Bangladesh, with overcrowding, poor ship design and maintenance often to blame.

Bangladesh has more than 230 rivers and boats are the main form of travel, especially in the southern and northeastern regions.

Wire services