Bangladesh Bus Tragedy: 24 dead as bus falls into Padma River at Dauladia ferry terminal, many missing
Bangladesh Bus Tragedy: : In a major tragedy, as many as 24 persons lost their lives and several others remain missing after a passenger bus with 40 on board plunged into the Padma River at Dauladia ferry terminal in Bangladesh’s Rajbari district on Wednesday evening. The Dhaka-bound bus was transporting passengers who were returning to their respective places after Eid holidays. However, the ill-fated bus lost control while boarding a ferry.
The accident took place at 5.15 pm when the bus slipped off the pontoon and sank into the river. According to officials, 22 bodies, including those of children, were found inside the bus. Two more victims were recovered earlier by divers.
Rescue teams, including fire service personnel, coastguard, police and military, worked for hours in difficult weather conditions to pull out the submerged vehicle. The salvage vessel ‘Hamza’ eventually retrieved the bus around midnight after nearly six hours of effort. At least 11 passengers managed to survive. They either swam to safety or were rescued. However, many still remain missing. The search operations is underway.
Meanwhile, an investigation has been ordered into the incident to determine the exact cause and fix responsibility.
- With inputs from agencies
