At least 13 people were killed and several others injured on Monday in a train collision in Bangladesh, police said.

A passenger train crashed into a freight train in the eastern city of Bhairab, which lies around 80 kilometers (50 miles) from the capital Dhaka.

What we know so far

The collision occurred at 3:30 p.m. local time (0930 UTC).

"So far, 13 bodies have been recovered and many injured taken to hospital," local police official Sirajul Islam said.

Islam added that the death toll could increase as rescue operations were ongoing.

Anowar Hossain, superintendent of Dhaka Railway Police, said the freight train hit the passenger train from behind and damaged two coaches.

"Our people are working there. It's a chaotic situation," Hossein told the Associated Press.

The Egarosindur Godhuli Express passenger train was headed for Dhaka. It was hit by the a cargo train heading to the southeastern city of Chittagong, the Associated Press cited senior fire official Azizul Haque Rajon as saying.

Rajon said it was unclear how many people were still trapped in the wreckage.

He said that train service to other parts of the country remained suspended.

The cause of the collision was not immediately clear.

sdi/rc (Reuters, AP)