Fourteen bodies have been recovered after a passenger bus of Souhardya Paribahan lost control and plunged into the Padma River while attempting to board a pontoon at Daulatdia ferry terminal in Goaland Upazila, Rajbari. Among the deceased, 10 are women and 4 are men.
The submerged bus was recovered and brought to the surface by the rescue vessel Hamza around 12:30 AM on Wednesday (March 25). Twelve bodies were recovered from inside the bus at that time. The remaining two bodies were recovered by locals when the bus initially went down.
Dewan Sohel Rana, Assistant Deputy Director of Rajbari Fire Service, stated that a total of 14 bodies have been recovered. The bodies are being kept at Goaland Upazila Health Complex Hospital. The rescue operation is ongoing.
It is worth noting that the passenger bus of Souhardya Paribahan had approximately 45 passengers. The bus fell into the river while boarding the ferry. Upon receiving the news, a Fire Service diving team launched a rescue operation. Efforts are underway to rescue the missing passengers. Relatives of the missing are lamenting at the ferry terminal area.
Meanwhile, District Police, the Army, Naval Police, and Fire Service are working to bring the situation under control. The Deputy Commissioner, Superintendent of Police, Goaland Upazila Executive Officer, and other administrative officials are present at the scene.