A devastating maritime accident occurred at the Daulatdia Ferry Terminal in Bangladesh’s Rajbari district on Wednesday afternoon, resulting in the deaths of at least 26 people. The tragedy unfolded around 5:15 p.m. at Pontoon Number 3 when a Dhaka-bound bus, operated by “Souhardo Paribahan,” was attempting to board a transport ferry. According to terminal officials and eyewitness accounts, the accident was triggered when a smaller utility vessel named Hasna Hena struck the pontoon with significant force. The sudden impact caused the bus driver to lose control of the steering, leading the vehicle to slide off the deck and plunge into the deep, turbulent waters of the Padma River. Most of the passengers were reportedly returning to the capital, Dhaka, following the seven-day Eid-ul-Fitr holiday break.
Rescue operations were launched immediately after the bus vanished beneath the surface, but the effort faced severe complications due to strong river currents and heavy rain. Divers from the Fire Service and Civil Defence, the Navy, and the River Police worked tirelessly through the night, eventually locating the submerged vehicle at a depth of nearly 60 to 80 feet. While a few passengers managed to swim to safety in the immediate moments following the crash, many others were trapped inside the vehicle. Heartbreaking scenes were witnessed at the riverbank as families gathered to await news of their loved ones. Survivors recounted harrowing tales of escape, with one man describing the agony of reaching the shore only to watch his wife and child disappear as the bus sank.
The salvage vessel Hamza was deployed to the scene and successfully lifted the bus from the riverbed roughly six hours after it had disappeared. Upon retrieval, rescuers discovered the bodies of many victims trapped inside, including several women and children. Official reports now suggest that the death toll has reached 26, with a few passengers still missing. Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has expressed deep grief over the loss of lives and has ordered a high-level investigation into the safety protocols at the ferry terminal. This incident has reignited concerns regarding the safety of Bangladesh’s busy river crossing points, which serve as vital links for the country’s southwestern region but often suffer from overcrowding and inadequate technical oversight during peak holiday seasons.
