At least 16 people have died and several others remain missing after a Dhaka-bound bus plunged into the Padma River at the Dauladia ferry terminal in Rajbari district while attempting to board a transport ferry, officials said. The accident occurred at about 5:15 pm on Wednesday as the bus was driving from the pontoon toward the ferry, witnesses and officials reported.
Fire service official Sohel Rana said the salvage vessel Hamza retrieved the bus with cranes and rescuers found 14 bodies inside. He added that divers had earlier recovered the bodies of two women in their late 50s or early 60s, bringing the confirmed death toll to 16 by midnight after roughly six hours of recovery efforts amid rough weather. Fire service and coastguard divers, supported by military and police teams, continued searching for the missing passengers.
Authorities estimate the bus was carrying around 40 people, including several children, with most heading back to the capital after the Eid holidays. Police and witnesses said about 11 passengers managed to swim ashore or were pulled from the water, but many remained unaccounted for.
Terminal supervisor Monir Hossain described the sequence that led to the crash: a smaller utility ferry struck the pontoon as the bus approached, and the driver lost control of the steering, causing the vehicle to plunge into the river. “Right before our eyes, the bus fell into the river, but we could do nothing,” he told reporters.
Doctors at the Dauladia health complex said two women were brought in dead and another woman — a doctor herself — received treatment for injuries. Relatives and witnesses said several passengers were members of the same family; some survived after standing outside the bus while their family members remained inside as the vehicle sank.
Rajbari district administration officials said national leaders had contacted them for updates and ordered an investigation into the circumstances of the accident.
Original Source: https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/16-killed-many-missing-as-bus-falls-into-river-in-bangladesh-11267452#publisher=newsstand
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Publish Date: 2026-03-26 03:26:00
