11 killed in Bangladesh shanty collapse

DHAKA: A two-storey tin shanty collapsed on a low flood plain in the Bangladeshi capital on Wednesday, killing at least 11 people with several others feared trapped, police said.

The first floor of the shack, which stood on bamboo poles, caved in at around 3pm (0900 GMT), trapping more than a dozen people in a swamp in central Dhaka's Hajipara area, they said.

"Rescue workers have so far recovered 11 bodies. We suspect several more are still missing," deputy commissioner of the Dhaka police Mohammad Fariduddin told AFP.

Rescue workers were at the scene but it was not clear how many people were inside when the structure collapsed, he added.

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All 12 rooms of one floor of the shanty were submerged in mud, witnesses and residents told local media.

Tens of thousands of poor people in Dhaka live in shanties built on the edges of lakes or flood plains.

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Many of the buildings lack even minimum safety requirements, leading to frequent accidents.