DHAKA, March 25 (Xinhua) -- At least two women have died and dozens were feared drowned after a bus carrying around 40 people plunged into the Padma River from a pontoon at a terminal in Bangladesh's Rajbari district, some 125 km south of Dhaka, on Wednesday while attempting to board a ferry.

The accident occurred at around 5:15 p.m. local time on Wednesday when the Dhaka-bound passenger bus lost control, overturned, and sank to an estimated depth of 80 feet, according to the Fire Service.

Sultana Akhtar, Rajbari's deputy commissioner and district magistrate, told Xinhua that there were around 40 passengers on board the bus.

"So far, the bodies of two women have been retrieved," she said.

Officials said the submerged bus has been located underwater.

Talha Bin Jashim, an official of the Fire Service and Civil Defense, said a search operation was underway and a rescue vessel had been called in to boost local efforts to salvage the bus.

Several witnesses told local television channels that the bus had left Rajbari with around 40 passengers.

Shortly after the accident, they said only 10 to 11 passengers managed to swim ashore. ■