The Kabul Tribune (KT) — Reuters reported that at least 24 people have died in central Bangladesh after a passenger bus carrying about 40 people plunged into the Padma River.
The incident occurred Wednesday near Daulatdia in Rajbari
District, about 100 kilometers from Dhaka, as the bus was attempting to board a
ferry, officials said.
Rescue workers recovered 22 bodies from inside the submerged
vehicle, including children, women and men, while two more women died after
being rescued, according to fire service official Talha Bin Qasim.
Emergency teams said the overturned bus sank nearly nine
meters into the river, complicating rescue efforts.
A witness, Noor Jahan Begum, told the Agence France-Presse
that the bus was waiting to board the ferry when it fell into the river, adding
that some passengers managed to escape but others remained trapped inside.
Rescue operations involved multiple fire service units and
divers, supported by security forces and local authorities, while officials
warned that more passengers could still be missing.
Deadly road and ferry accidents are common in Bangladesh due
to poor infrastructure, poorly maintained vehicles and reckless driving.
According to the World Health Organization, traffic-related deaths in the
country are estimated to exceed 31,000 annually, far higher than officially
reported figures.
