Major road accident: bus loses control and falls into river, 23 dead; many missing
A passenger bus fell into Bangladesh’s Padma River near Dhaka, leaving 23 dead and many missing as rescue operations continue.
Dhaka (The Uttam Hindu): A devastating road accident has been reported in Bangladesh, where around 23 people lost their lives after a passenger bus plunged into the Padma River. According to local media reports, the incident occurred at the Daulatdia ferry terminal in the Goalanda upazila of Rajbari district.
As per reports, the accident took place around 5:15 pm on Wednesday when the bus, traveling from Kushtia’s Kumarkhali to Dhaka, lost control while waiting to cross the river and fell into the water.
Eyewitnesses said that at least 50 passengers were on board, as the bus had been picking up people from multiple stops along the route. According to reports, rescue vessel Hamza retrieved the submerged bus after nearly six hours. Initial reports suggested that around 35 people were missing.
Faridpur Fire Service Commander Mohammad Belal Uddin stated that rescue operations were ongoing and a significant number of passengers were still unaccounted for.
Late at night, after parts of the vehicle became visible, cranes were used to lift the entire bus. Fire service officials recovered 16 bodies from inside the bus, including two children, ten women, and four men.
Earlier, district authorities had confirmed 14 deaths. Two more rescued passengers were declared dead at the Goalanda Upazila Health Complex, increasing the toll further. Authorities are continuing the search operation for missing passengers while investigating the cause of the accident.
According to transport counter master Tanmoy Ahmed, the bus had initially started with eight passengers and picked up more along the way, eventually carrying about 50 people, including the driver and helper.
Officials said the bus was trapped nearly 30 feet below the surface under the pontoon, making rescue operations difficult. Broken doors and windows further complicated divers’ efforts to enter the vehicle.
Meanwhile, families of the victims are in deep grief as rescue teams continue efforts to locate the missing passengers.