Bangladesh, July 14 -- A ferry carrying over 250 passengers and 16 cargo vehicles has run aground on a shoal in the Meghna River on the route between Noakhali's island Upazila Hatia and the mainland.

The vessel, Mahananda, became stuck on Tuesday morning while travelling from Chairman Ghat to Nalchira Ghat, according to the ferry's master, Mohammad Karim.

Grounding occurred around 8am due to receding water levels, sparking widespread frustration among the stranded passengers who blamed a departure delay for their plight.

Passengers claimed the vessel was scheduled to leave Chairman Ghat at 6:30am but was held back for over an hour, causing it to miss the tide.

Akbar Hossain, a fish trader from Chairman Ghat, said the delay and poor r...