Dhaka: A cargo truck transporting iron construction rods and unauthorised passengers overturned on a major highway early Monday in central Bangladesh, resulting in at least 15 fatalities and leaving 10 others injured, law enforcement officials said.

The fatal incident occurred at approximately 5 am in the Soratoil area of the Tangail district, located roughly 83 kilometres (52 miles) northwest of the capital city of Dhaka, according to local police chief Fuad Hossain.

Hossain stated that the driver lost control of the vehicle, which was transporting hitchhiking travellers from Dhaka toward the country's northern territory. The transit coincided with the beginning of the annual holiday rush ahead of Eid al-Adha, the Islamic festival scheduled for Thursday. The vehicle capsized, causing immediate fatalities at the crash site, he said.

The police official noted that the majority of the passengers were day labourers attempting to reunite with their families for the upcoming religious holiday.

Witnesses told local television networks that they hurried to the highway after hearing the impact and immediately initiated rescue efforts to free passengers pinned beneath the wreckage and the cargo.

Traffic accidents claim thousands of lives annually across the South Asian nation of more than 170 million people. Industry experts attribute the high mortality rate to inconsistent enforcement of traffic regulations, poorly maintained infrastructure, and a prevalence of untrained commercial drivers.

With inputs from AP