Bus plunges in Padma River: 24 bodies recovered, investigation committee formed

A total of 24 bodies recovered as of 10:00 am today, Thursday, after a bus had plunged into the Padma River at Daulatdia Ghat in Goalanda, Rajbari, on Wednesday.

Of these, the bodies of 21 victims have been handed over to their families, while the remains of the driver and two others are kept at Rajbari Sadar Hospital.

Assistant commissioner and executive magistrate of the Rajbari deputy commissioner’s office, Md. Hafizur Rahman, confirmed the information to Prothom Alo.

The victims recovered so far include Rehena Akter from Bhabanipur, Lalmiya Road, Rajbari Municipality, and her son Ahnaf Tahmid Khan; Marzina Khatun from Mojampur village, Ward No. 18, Kushtia Municipality; Rajib Biswas from Khagrabaria village, Kushtia Sadar Upazila; Zahura Anti and Kazi Saif from Sajjankanda, Ward No. 5, Rajbari Municipality; Marzina Akter and her daughter Safia Akter Rinthi from Char Barkipara, Chotobhakla Union, Gopalganj; Israfill, son of a certain Delwar Hossain from Dhushundu village, Khoksa, Kushtia; Faiz Shahnoor, son of a certain Billal Hossain from Bhabanipur village, Boalia Union, Kalukhali Upazila, Rajbari; Tajbid, son of KBM Musabbir, from Sajjankanda Mahalla, Rajbari Municipality; Arman Khan, a bus driver from West Khalkhola, Baliakandi Upazila, Rajbari; Nazmira, also known as Jesmin, from Belgachi village, Mahendrapur Union, Kalukhali Upazila, Rajbari; Lima Akter from Ramchandrapur, Mizanpur Union, Rajbari Sadar; Josna from Char Beninagar, Mizanpur Union, Rajbari Sadar; Mukta Khanum from Noadha village, Amtoli Union, Kotalipara, Gopalganj; Nashima from Mathurai village, Palashbari Union, Parbatipur, Dinajpur; Ayesha Akter from Bagdhunia Palpara, Ashulia, Dhaka; Soha Akter, child of Sohel Molla, Rajbari Municipality; Ayesha Siddika, daughter of Gias Uddin, Samsapur Union, Khoksa, Kushtia; Arman, son of Nuruzzaman, Khondokbaria village, Kacherkol Union, Shailkupa, Jhenaidah; Abdur Rahman, son of Abdul Aziz, Mahendrapur village, Ratandia Union, Kalukhali Upazila, Rajbari; Sabit Hasan, 8, son of Shariful Islam, Agomarai village, Dadshi Union, Rajbari Sadar; and a fruit trader named Ujjal.

The incident occurred at around 5:15 pm yesterday, Wednesday, when a passenger bus operated by Souhardo Paribahan lost control at Daulatdia Ghat No. 3 and plunged into the Padma River.

The bus had departed from Kumar Khali in Kushtia en route to Dhaka, carrying approximately 45 passengers, according to bus staff and counter officials.

The Rajbari district administration formed a five-member high-level investigation committee late last night.

Md. Hafizur Rahman, additional district magistrate, has been appointed as convenor. Other members include the additional superintendent of police (crime & OPS), assistant general manager of BIWTC’s Daulatdia office, deputy director of Rajbari Fire Service & Civil Defence, and the upazila nirbahi officer (UNO) of Gopalganj.

The committee has been instructed to submit its report to the Deputy Commissioner within three working days.

In addition, the families of the deceased will each receive an initial compensation of Tk 25,000 from the district administration.