At least 24 people have died, and several others remain missing, after a passenger bus plunged into the Padma River while trying to board a ferry in southwestern Bangladesh, sparking a large-scale overnight rescue operation.
The incident occurred around 5:15 pm on Wednesday at the Dauladia terminal in Rajbari district.
The Dhaka-bound bus, carrying an estimated 40 passengers, including children, slipped off the pontoon into the river. Most of those on board were returning to the capital following Eid holidays.
Authorities recovered 24 bodies, with 22 discovered inside the submerged bus.
Officials reported that among the victims were 11 women, six men, and five children.
“(Salvage vessel) Hamza retrieved the bus with its cranes,” fire service official Sohel Rana told reporters at the site.
He explained that divers had initially recovered the bodies of two women in their late 50s or early 60s. The remaining victims were discovered after the bus was lifted from the river around midnight, following six hours of challenging operations in rough conditions.
Search efforts continue, with fire service and coastguard divers, backed by the military and police, working to locate those still unaccounted for.
Officials from the Rajbari district administration stated that Prime Minister Tarique Rahman requested updates on the salvage operation and directed an investigation into the accident.
Police and eyewitnesses confirmed that about 11 passengers were able to swim to safety or were rescued, though many others remain missing.
“When the bus was heading towards the ferry from the pontoon, another smaller utility ferry hit the pontoon. It plunged into the river as the bus driver lost control of the steering,” said Monir Hossain, the terminal’s supervisor.
“Right before our eyes, the bus fell into the river, but we could do nothing,” he added.
Doctors at the Dauladia Health Complex reported that two women were brought in dead, while another female doctor among the passengers is receiving treatment.
Officials and witnesses noted that several passengers were members of the same family. While some managed to survive by standing outside the bus, their relatives were trapped as it sank.
