Accident in Daulatdia: JU debater Raiyan, his niece missing, mother dead

A tragic bus accident occurred at Daulatdia Ferry Ghat on Wednesday afternoon when a Sauhardya Paribahan passenger bus plunged into the deep waters of the Padma River while attempting to board the pontoon at around 5:30 pm.

The bus, which had departed from Kumarkhali in Kushtia, was carrying around 40 passengers, many of whom remain missing as rescue operations continue. The sunken bus has not yet been recovered from the river.

Among those affected are several people from Rajbari. Ahnaf Raiyan, a master's student in the Economics Department at Jahangirnagar University and a well-known debater, was returning to Dhaka after the Eid holidays along with his mother, elder sister, and young niece.

His elder sister, Dr. Nusrat Jahan Khan Saba, managed to escape the sinking bus alive. However, Ahnaf Raiyan and his seven-year-old niece are still missing. His mother, 59-year-old Rehena Akhter, did not survive and her body was later recovered.

Ahnaf Raiyan, son of the late Ismail Hossain from Bhabanipur village in Rajbari, served as the organising secretary of the Rajbari Debate Association. He was a former president of the Student Welfare Association at Jahangirnagar University and had previously held the position of general secretary of the Jahangirnagar University Debating Organization.

He had been practicing debate since his school days and was actively involved in university debate circles. The news of his disappearance has deeply saddened the local debate community. Faruk Uddin, president of the Rajbari Debate Association, described Raiyan as an exceptionally talented individual who began debating as early as sixth grade and continued to excel at the university level, noting that many had high hopes for his future.

In another case, a couple from Boalia village in Kalukhali upazila of Rajbari—50-year-old pharmaceutical businessman Jahangir Alam and his 45-year-old wife Mukta Khanam—boarded the same bus while travelling to Dhaka to consult a doctor. They remain missing. The couple has two sons and two daughters. According to their relative Mahbubur Rahman, Jahangir Alam and his wife had accompanied other family members on the journey.

It is also reported that 14 passengers from the bus that left Kumarkhali are still unaccounted for. Among them are five members of the family of Mohammad Sharif, a restaurant owner from Dadshi Bazar in Rajbari Sadar Upazila, and Kazi Saif, a resident of Rajbari town.

Rescue efforts began promptly after the incident when the nearby rescue ship Hamza reached the site. However, the strong current and depth of the river at the accident location have complicated operations.