At least 17 people, including eight women and three children, were killed and 25 others injured as a bus plunged into a roadside pond on the Barishal-Khulna regional highway in Jhalakathi Sadar upazila on Saturday morning.
Passengers said the overcrowded bus was running at a high speed, which triggered the accident.
Around 65 passengers were travelling by the bus of Bashar Smrity Paribahan, the police said.
Fourteen of the deceased were identified as Tarek Rahman, 45, Salam Molla, 60, and his son Shahin Molla, 25, Sumaiya, 6, Rahima Begum, 60, and her son Abul Kalam Hawlader, 45, Rabeya Begum, 80, Abdullah, 8, Irin Akter, 22, and her daughter Ripa Moni, 2, Khadija Begum, 43, and her daughter Khushbu Akter, 17, Md Nayan, 16, and Salma Akter, 42.
Sadar police station Sub-Inspector Gautam Kumar Ghosh said the Barishal-bound bus from Bhandaria in Pirojpur fell into the pond as its driver lost control of the vehicle near Dhanshiri Union Parishad office around 10:15am.
Members of the Fire Service and Civil Defence, police, Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and local people rushed to the spot to assist in the rescue and recovery efforts, he added.
Later on, the bus was pulled out from the pond.
Jhalakathi General Hospital Resident Physician Din Mohammad said at least 17 bodies were brought to the morgue while the injured were undergoing treatment at different hospitals, including the General Hospital.
Injured Md Russel Molla, 35, a resident of Bhandaria upazila in Pirojpur, said he sat behind the driver’s seat. “The bus driver was repeatedly talking to the supervisor to pick up extra passengers since the beginning of the journey.”
He added, “The driver was not concentrating on driving…due to his mistake, the accident took place.”
Russel and his brother Shahin Molla were taking their father Salam Molla to see a doctor in Barishal. Salam and Shahin died in the accident.
Jhalakathi Deputy Commissioner (DC) Farah Gul Nijhum and Superintendent of Police (SP) Muhammed Afruzul Huq Tutul have visited the spot.
A five-member committee – headed by Additional District Magistrate Mamun Shibli – has been formed to investigate the accident, the DC said.
SP Afruzul Huq said the deputy inspector general of police has announced to give Tk 1 lakh for the burial and cremation of the deceased and it has been sent to the families of the deceased.
He added that no one is interested in filing a case so far. However, if no one complains on behalf of the families of the victims, the police will file a case. Efforts are on to arrest the driver, conductor and helper of the bus.
As many as 516 people died and 812 were injured in 559 road accidents across Bangladesh in June this year, according to the latest report of the Road Safety Foundation (RSF).
In another report, passenger welfare platform Bangladesh Jatri Kalyan Samity said 299 lives were lost and 544 people were injured in 277 road accidents across the country in 15 days during Eid-ul-Azha travels.
