Passenger bus falls into Padma River

A passenger bus lost control while getting on a pontoon in the Daulatdia Ferry Ghat area of Goalanda upazila in Rajbari and fell into the Padma river.

The incident occurred at around 5:30 pm on Wednesday.

There were 43 passengers on the bus, said Siraj Ahmed, the counter manager of Souhardyo Paribahan in Rajbari.

He said that the bus had left from Kumarkhali and was carrying 43 passengers.

After the bus fell into the river, attempts were made to contact the driver and the helper on their mobile phones, but the phones were found switched off.

As of the latest information, seven people have been admitted to the Goalanda Upazila Health Complex in injured condition. Many others are still missing.

Sources at Daulatdia Ghat said that a passenger bus of Sauhardya Paribahan, which had left from Kumarkhali in Kushtia, lost control while boarding the pontoon at Daulatdia Ferry Ghat No. 3 at around 5:30 pm and fell into the Padma River.

The depth of the water where the bus fell is quite deep.

The rescue ship Hamza, which was near Daulatdia Ferry Ghat, went to the spot after receiving the information and started rescue work.

However, so far neither the sinking bus nor any of the passengers have been rescued.

It is learned that the bus had left Kumarkhali at 2:10 pm. Most of the passengers on the bus were returning to work after the Eid holidays.

As the rescue work was underway, no statement was received from BIWTC, Goalanda Ghat Police Station, or the Fire Service and Civil Defense.

Meanwhile, Rajbari Deputy Commissioner Sultana Akhtar, Superintendent of Police Mohammad Manjur Morshed, and other senior officials went to the spot after receiving the news.