Dhaka,  The number of deaths due to a boat capsize in Bangladesh's Karatoya river increased to 61 on Tuesday, after 10 more bodies were recovered, a senior police official said.

The official told Xinhua news agency said the bodies were recovered from several parts of the Karatoya river in the Panchagarh district, 468 km away from the capital Dhaka.

The search operation is still underway for the five to six people still missing, he said, adding the vessel has been dragged to the bank.

SM Sirajul Huda, superintendent of Panchagarh District Police, earlier said the jam-packed boat, carrying some 100 passengers, overturned due to overloading and sank on Sunday afternoon.

Ferry and boat disasters are common in Bangladesh.

Ferries are still a key means of transport in the South Asian country and most of them are often overcrowded.