Rajbari: Bus falls from a ferry into the river, at least 26 dead

The vehicle fell into the river whilst being loaded onto the ferry at Daulatdia Ghat. The local Catholic Church immediately expressed its condolences “for the victims and their families”. Archbishop of Dhaka: “Great concern” over the numerous “accidents and deaths” during travel for the Eid festivities. A child recounts the heroic act of his mother who saved him before the vehicle sank.

Dhaka (AsiaNews) - “At least 26 bodies have been recovered after a passenger bus plunged into the Padma River whilst boarding a ferry at Daulatdia Ghat in Rajbari”, stated a press release issued this morning by officials from the Bangladesh Fire Service. The accident occurred amidst heavy traffic and travel linked to the Eid-ul-Fitr festival marking the end of Ramadan, the Islamic holy month of fasting and prayer.

The tragedy that was, in many ways, foreseeable, highlighting once again the country’s persistent shortcomings in road safety and transport, with the local Catholic Church expressing its sympathy and prayers for the victims and their families.

According to fire service sources, the vehicle, which was carrying around 40 passengers from Kushtia to Dhaka, lost control whilst boarding a ferry at pier number three at around 5.15 pm yesterday. The vehicle subsequently fell into the river and sank to a depth of around 18 metres. “The bus was recovered around midnight,” officials added.

Alif, an eight-year-old boy who survived the sinking in the river thanks to his mother’s intervention, recalled the terrifying moment. “As the bus was boarding the ferry, it suddenly lost control and overturned. The bus was falling into the Padma. I was sitting on my mother’s lap,” she “threw me out of the window” whilst she, the young witness concluded in tears, “was unable to save herself”.

Two bodies were recovered shortly after the accident, whilst the remaining ones were found during the night-time rescue operations involving, amongst others: four fire brigade units, 10 divers, personnel from the army, the police, the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (Biwta), the Coast Guard and the local administration.

The rescue vessel Hamza was used to extract the bus, which surfaced from the river shortly after half past midnight. Most of the bodies have been identified and handed over to the bereaved families, whilst scenes of mourning unfolded in hospitals and along the riverbanks.

The accident occurred during the Eid al-Fitr holiday, a period characterised each year by a surge in fatal road accidents. Official statistics indicate that, over the seven days of the holiday, 92 road accidents were recorded across the country, resulting in 100 deaths and 217 injuries.

However, the Road Safety Foundation, a non-governmental organisation, reported far higher figures, stating that 204 people were killed and more than 600 injured in 268 accidents during the same period.

Despite repeated assurances from government ministers of a “smooth Eid journey” unlike any before, the death toll in 2026 exceeded that of previous holidays, overwhelming hospitals with the volume of patients requiring treatment.

In response to the tragedy, Msgr Bejoy N. D’Cruze, Archbishop of Dhaka and President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Bangladesh, expressed deep concern.

Speaking to AsiaNews, the prelate explained: “So far, 25 passengers have died in yesterday’s road accident. It is a tragic accident. I offer my deepest condolences to the families of the victims”.

The archbishop prayed for the eternal rest of the deceased and added: “It is a cause for great concern that so many accidents and deaths occur during Eid. We want,” he concluded, “law and order to be restored on the roads so that no one dies anymore. We urge drivers to drive with greater caution. Because the death of a person causes an irreparable loss to their family.”

Meanwhile, the government has announced compensation for the victims’ families. State Minister for Shipping Rajib Ahsan stated that the relatives of those who died in the Padma River accident will receive 25,000 Tk (174.281 euros), whilst injured passengers will be given 15,000 Tk (104.569 euros).

He shared this information with the media after visiting the scene of the accident at around 1 am on Wednesday. Road safety campaigners and religious leaders believe that the tragedy on the Padma is yet another sad reminder that lax enforcement of regulations, reckless driving and inadequate safety systems continue to claim lives in Bangladesh.

This crisis becomes even more apparent during major religious festivals.