Search and rescue efforts have rolled into the third day after a ferry carrying several vehicles sank in the Padma River near Manikganj's Paturia terminal.

The operation resumed around 10:45 am on Friday, according to Shah Mohammad Khaled Nawaz, regional deputy general manager of the BIWTC in Aricha.

The Rajanigandha-7 ferry capsized near terminal No. 5 in Paturia with nine trucks on board on Wednesday morning. The ferry's second driver, 39-year-old Humayun Kabir, was reported missing afterwards.

“Three of the nine vehicles have been recovered using the rescue ships Hamza and Rustom over the past two days. But the vessels are not equipped to pull out the sunken ferry,” Nawaz said.

“The main salvage operation will begin after the arrival of the 250-tonne rescue vessel Prottoy in an hour.”

Asked about the missing second driver, Nawaz said, "He is still missing and is presumed to be trapped inside the sunken vessel.”

Authorities are still unclear about the exact cause of the incident and an investigation is underway to pinpoint the reasons, he added.