DHAKA:At least 24 people lost their lives after a passenger bus carrying around 40 passengers plunged into the Padma River while attempting to board a ferry in Rajbari District, officials said on Thursday.
The accident occurred on Wednesday near Daulatdia, about 100 kilometres from Dhaka, when the driver reportedly lost control while approaching the ferry terminal. The bus overturned and sank nearly 30 feet deep into the river, according to police and rescue authorities.
Rescue teams recovered 22 bodies from inside the submerged vehicle, including six men, 11 women, and five children, said a Fire Service official. The death toll later rose to 24 after two injured women died after being rescued.
A large-scale rescue operation was launched, involving four fire service units and 10 divers, with support from the army, police, coast guard, and local authorities. Officials fear that more passengers may still be missing. Road and ferry accidents remain common in Bangladesh, where hundreds of people die each year due to poor transport safety conditions.
