At least 22 people have died in a collision between a passenger boat and at least one cargo vessel in Bangladesh. 

The passenger boat sank carrying more than 100 people, with the driver of a cargo vessel suspected of colliding with the boat arrested.

About 50 passengers were missing after the incident on Friday evening in a large open body of water in the eastern district of Brahmanbaria, according to initial reports from officials and Bangladeshi media.

However, no passengers were believed missing after nearly 24 hours of search efforts, said Emon Sarker, a duty officer with the district’s fire service and civil defence, who also provided the final death toll.

"Maybe many swam to safety. There was no passenger list. It happens here. Today, nobody came to us looking for any missing people," Mr Sarker said by phone.

Bangladesh is a delta nation where water transport is heavily used to move people and goods.

But deadly accidents are common because of unskilled operation and poor enforcement of safety rules.

The country is crisscrossed by 230 rivers, and during the monsoon season some low-lying areas fill with water and are also used by boats.

The cargo boat's driver and two assistants were caught by locals in the Bijoynagar area and turned over to the authorities, said Anisur Rahman, the district police superintendent.

Mr Sarker said the sunken boat was still submerged and would be brought to shore on Sunday.

Survivors said about 100 people were aboard. Local news reports, quoting the area's top government administrator, Hayat-Ud-Dola, said about 50 people were missing.

A witness said two cargo vessels hit the boat, which sank quickly, Dhaka-based The Daily Star newspaper reported.

"I was grazing cattle on the bank. I heard a loud noise and saw the cargo vessels hitting the passenger trawler. I saw the trawler sinking quickly," witness Nurul Amin told the paper.

The Bijoynagar area is 82 kilometres east of the capital, Dhaka.

AP