Nine dead after bus falls off bridge in central Bangladesh

Nine people including three women and a 2-year-old child have died after a bus broke through the railing of a bridge and plunged into a canal in Madaripur’s Sadar Upazila.

The bus fell off the Samaddar Bridge at Kendua Union around 3:15pm on Friday, Sadar Police Station OC Ziaul Morshed said.

Fire Service and police officials said at least 25 of those injured were admitted to Madaripur Sadar Hospital, Faridpur Medical College Hospital and Barisal Medical College Hospital.

Assistant Superintendent of Police Md Moniruzzaman Fakir said the bus, headed for Pirojpur’s Bhandaria, fell into the canal when the driver lost control when one of the tyres had burst.

Madaripur Fire Service Deputy Assistant Director Nazrul Islam said the injured were rescued from the bus titled on its side in the canal and sent to the hospitals with the help of local residents and police.

The bus was pulled up from the canal later in the evening.

OC Morshed said five of the deceased were killed at the scene of the accident while three others passed awy at Madaripur Sadar Hospital.

Quoting Highway Police officials, he said another injured died at Rajoir Upazila Health Complex.

Saying some of those rescued were critically wounded, he had earlier feared that the death toll would go up from the initial five.

The OC said the district administration has announced that the families of each deceased would be given Tk 10,000 in aid.