At least eighteen bodies were recovered after a bus carrying around 40 passengers plunged into the Padma River in Bangladesh’s Rajbari district, located 125 km south of Dhaka. The incident occurred when the Dhaka-bound bus lost control, overturned, and sank to an estimated depth of 80 feet. Among the retrieved bodies were ten women and two children.
Officials reported that the rescue operation, involving fire service and coastguard divers with military and police support, was ongoing to find more missing individuals. The submerged bus was lifted by the rescue vessel Hamza, leading to the discovery of 16 additional bodies. There are concerns that the death toll may increase as the search continues.
Prime Minister Tarique Rahman expressed deep concern over the tragedy and directed authorities to maximize rescue efforts and ensure proper treatment for the injured. Witnesses and officials noted that many passengers, mostly from the same family, were on board the bus. While some survived by standing outside, their relatives were inside the bus when it sank.
