The Rajanigandha ferry capsized in the Padma due to water seeping in through a hole, not because it was hit by any bulk carrier, survivors of the accident in Paturia said.

Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation (BIWTC) officials and some witnesses initially said the ferry capsized after being hit by a bulk carrier this morning.

But talking to the Dhaka Diplomat, at least five out of the 14 survivors said a bulk carrier did not hit the ferry.

Ashique Sheikh, a driver of a cotton-laden truck who was travelling to Gazipur from Kushtia, said, "The ferry was anchored in the river due to fog and we were waiting for it to clear. An employee of the ferry shouted at us to jump into the river saying water was entering the vessel.

"They did not even provide any life jacket or other equipment to save our lives. I jumped into the water to save my life," he told The Daily Star, adding that he was rescued by locals later. 

Sajjad Ali, another trucker, recounted the harrowing experience in similar terms.

"The ferry was stranded around 1:30am and some people said it was stuck in a hidden shoal but later we came to know that the service stopped due to heavy fog.

"We remained on the ferry until one of its crew members informed us that the vessel was capsizing. The ferry slowly submerged as water filled it," he said adding there was no collision.

The Rajanigandha, the ferry that runs on the Daulatdia-Paturia route, capsized less than a half kilometre from terminal-5 around 8:15am. One crew member -- the second master of the ferry, Humayun Kabir, 39 -- remains missing as off filing the report around 4:15pm.

Contacted, Deputy General Manager of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation's (BIWTC's) Aricha regional office Shah Md Khaled Newaz said they initially heard that the ferry sunk after being hit by a bulk carrier.

"We formed a five-member committee to investigate the incident. The actual cause of the capsize can be determined after the investigation is completed," he said after being asked about the survivor's versions.