DHAKA, BANGLADESH — At least 24 people were killed after a passenger bus carrying around 40 to 50 people plunged into the Padma River at the Daulatdia ferry terminal in Rajbari district, Bangladesh. The tragic accident occurred on Wednesday afternoon, while the bus was attempting to board a ferry.
Accident Details
The incident took place at approximately 5:15 p.m. local time at pontoon number 3 of the Daulatdia ferry ghat in Goalanda upazila. According to officials, the bus was traveling from Kushtia to Dhaka, carrying passengers returning to the capital after the Eid-ul-Fitr holidays.
Authorities confirmed that at least 24 people have died in the accident. The victims include 11 women, six men, and five children. Two passengers died shortly after being rescued from the river.
Rescue Operations
Rescue teams launched an intensive operation shortly after the bus fell into the river. Personnel from the Bangladesh Fire Service, Army, Navy, and Coast Guard participated in the search and recovery efforts.
The bus sank to a depth estimated between 30 and 80 feet before it was finally lifted from the river by the rescue vessel “Hamza” at around 11:50 p.m. on Wednesday.
Fire Service official Talha Bin Zasim said rescuers recovered most of the victims from inside the submerged vehicle.
“Rescuers recovered 22 bodies from inside the submerged bus. Twenty-four people have been confirmed dead so far, including two women who died after being rescued,” he said.
Rajbari Deputy Commissioner Sultana Akhtar earlier confirmed that several bodies had already been retrieved during the initial stages of the operation.
“The bodies of eighteen people, including 10 women and two children, were recovered during the earlier phase of the rescue,” she said.
Fire Service Deputy Director Dewan Sohel Rana noted that rescue efforts were hampered overnight by strong river currents and rain.
Possible Cause of the Accident
Preliminary reports indicate that the accident may have been caused by a combination of mechanical failure and an external impact.
Some witnesses said the driver appeared to lose control of the bus while approaching the ferry, possibly due to brake failure. Other reports suggest that a small utility ferry named “Hasna Hena” struck the pontoon with significant force, destabilizing the bus and causing it to plunge into the river.
Transport supervisor Md Monir Hossain, who witnessed the incident, described the moment the bus fell.
“The bus arrived at pontoon number 3. Suddenly a small utility ferry named Hasna Hena struck the pontoon with force. Right before our eyes, the bus fell into the river, but we could do nothing,” he said.
Another ghat supervisor, Muhammad Russell, suggested that a mechanical problem may have contributed to the tragedy.
“It looked like the brake stopped working. The driver could have tried to steer it in another direction, but he jumped out the window instead and disappeared in the crowd,” Russell said.
Approximately 11 passengers reportedly managed to swim to safety immediately after the bus plunged into the river.
Official Response
Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman expressed deep shock and sorrow over the tragedy.
In a statement, the prime minister prayed for the eternal peace of the victims and conveyed condolences to the bereaved families. He also stressed that public safety must remain a top priority.
The prime minister directed authorities to ensure the best possible medical treatment for the injured and instructed relevant ministries to urgently identify weaknesses in the transportation and ferry terminal systems.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir criticized what he described as a lack of proper oversight and called for stronger safety measures to prevent similar incidents.
Compensation and Investigation
The government is likely to announce financial assistance for the families of the victims, a measure typically taken after major transport disasters in the country. Officials also indicated that investigation committees have been formed to examine the circumstances surrounding the crash and recommend legal action if negligence is found.
Search operations continued into Thursday as authorities worked to ensure no passengers remained trapped in the wreckage.
