Bangladesh bus plunges 30ft into river with dozens feared dead

Rescuers recovered 16 bodies from the bus that plunged into the Padma river (Image: Suzit Kumar Das)

Dozens are people are feared dead after a packed bus plunged 30ft into the Padma river in Rajbari’s Goalanda upazila in Bangladesh. Rescuers recovered eighteen bodies, according to Rajbari Fire Service and Civil Defence officials.

Two bodies were initially recovered, according to Deputy Assistant Director of Rajbari Fire Service and Civil Defence, Dewan Sohel Rana, and a further 16 were recovered when rescue vessel Hamza lifted the submerged bus. The Fire Services and Civil Defence media wing said there were four men, ten women and two children among the dead. Resident Medical Officer of Daulatdia Upazila Health Complex, Dr Md Shariful Islam identified two of the deceased as Marjina Begum, 55 and Rehena Begum, 60. According to police, 11 passengers were able to swim to safety. One woman, who is a doctor at a private hospital in Dhaka, received treatment.

Md Monir Hossain, a transport supervisor at Daulatdia ferry ghat, said the bus arrived at pontoon number 3 shortly after 5pm loca time while a ferry carrying vehicles departed for Paturia in Manikganj. Unable to board, the bus waited for another ferry.

Around 5:15pm, a small utility ferry named Hasna Hena then struck the pontoon with force. The impact caused the bus to lose control and fall into the river.

He confirmed that while some passengers managed to swim ashore, most remained trapped inside.

Local residents gathered at the ghat to initiate rescue efforts, alongside divers from Paturia and Aricha river ferry terminals.