At least 24 people were killed after a passenger bus carrying around 40 people plunged into the Padma River while trying to board a ferry in southwestern Bangladesh, officials said on Thursday. The accident happened near the Daulatdia ferry terminal in Rajbari district, about 100 km from Dhaka.
Authorities said the bus, operated by Souhardo Paribahan on a Dhaka-bound route, apparently lost control as it approached the ferry, overturned and sank about 30 feet into the river. Rescue workers said several passengers were feared missing as search operations continued.
Rescuers recovered 22 bodies from inside the submerged bus, including men, women and children, while two more passengers later died after being taken to hospital, officials said. Three people were initially pulled from the wreckage and taken for treatment.
Fire service teams, divers and local authorities led the overnight rescue effort with support from the army, police and coast guard. The bus was finally pulled from the river around midnight after nearly six hours of recovery work.
Officials said the accident took place during ferry boarding at one of the country’s busiest river crossings, where heavy passenger and vehicle traffic is common. Prime Minister Tarique Rahman sought updates on the rescue operation and ordered an investigation into the cause of the crash.
Bangladesh frequently witnesses deadly road and waterway accidents due to poor safety standards, overcrowding and weak enforcement of transport rules. River crossings remain a crucial part of travel in many parts of the country, especially in the southwest.
The Padma River is one of Bangladesh’s major waterways and plays a central role in transport and trade, but strong currents and difficult river conditions often complicate rescue operations after such incidents. Past ferry and launch disasters have also exposed long-standing safety concerns.
Thursday’s tragedy has once again drawn attention to transport safety in Bangladesh, as grieving families waited for news of missing relatives and authorities worked to determine how the bus lost control at the ferry terminal.
