Death toll rises to eight in Dhaka-Sylhet Highway bus collision

The death toll has risen to eight, including a woman and a child, after a head-on collision between two passenger buses on the Dhaka-Sylhet Highway in Osmaninagar upazila of Sylhet district early Friday.

At least 20 to 25 passengers were injured in the accident, and the number could rise, police said.

The accident occurred around 7:00 am in the Kashikapan area, about 22 kilometres from Sylhet city.

The identities of the deceased could not be confirmed immediately.

According to police, a Dhaka-bound Unique Paribahan bus from Sylhet collided head-on with a Bengal Paribahan bus travelling towards Sylhet from Dhaka after both vehicles reportedly lost control while attempting to overtake.

The impact caused the buses to veer off the highway and plunge into a roadside ditch.

Osmaninagar Thana Officer-in-Charge Golam Mostafa told BSS that police and Fire Service personnel recovered the bodies of seven passengers from the Unique Paribahan bus.

Thirteen injured passengers, including a three-year-old child, were rescued from the scene and taken to Sylhet M.A.G. Osmani Medical College Hospital for treatment. Later, doctors on duty declared the child dead.

Sherpur Police said the bodies have been kept at Balaganj Hospital.

Traffic on the Dhaka-Sylhet Highway remains normal, police said.