A passenger bus that plunged into the Padma River at Daulatdia Ferry Ghat in Rajbari’s Goalanda upazila was recovered approximately two and a half hours after the incident. The vessel was lifted from the river around noon on Friday by BIWTA’s salvage ship Hamza and placed onto the K-type ferry Korobi.

The accident occurred at about 9:40 a.m. when an SB Super Deluxe bus was attempting to board a ferry. According to officials, the vehicle lost control, broke through the ferry ramp, and fell into the river. The driver and his assistant were rescued shortly afterward and taken to a local hospital for treatment.

Authorities confirmed that there were no passengers inside the bus at the time of the accident. Following standard safety procedures, passengers had already disembarked before the vehicle began boarding the ferry, preventing any casualties.

District authorities have announced plans to return passengers’ belongings recovered from the bus after proper verification. Rajbari Deputy Commissioner Afrozza Parveen also said that a five- to seven-member investigation committee will be formed to determine the cause of the accident.

Speaking from Goalanda Upazila Health Complex, bus driver Jhontu Ali, 48, said he had left Kushtia’s Madanpur area for Dhaka early Friday morning with 37 passengers on board. Upon reaching Daulatdia Ghat, passengers were instructed to leave the vehicle before ferry boarding. He claimed that while attempting to drive the bus onto the ferry, the brakes suddenly failed, causing the vehicle to crash through the ramp and plunge into the river. He and his assistant managed to escape through a window before being rescued by locals.

After the bus was brought ashore, authorities began recovering passengers’ bags and other belongings from inside the vehicle.

One of the passengers, Abdul Salam, a teacher at Nur Mohammad Public College under the BGB Headquarters, said he initially did not want to leave the bus when asked. However, members of the river police insisted that all passengers disembark. Moments later, the bus fell into the river. Reflecting on the incident, he said the decision to remove passengers likely saved many lives.

The accident revived memories of a similar tragedy on March 25, when a bus traveling from Kushtia fell into the Padma River while boarding a ferry at Daulatdia, resulting in the deaths of 26 passengers.

Mohammad Salah Uddin, Assistant General Manager of BIWTC’s Daulatdia office, said announcements had been made over loudspeakers instructing passengers to get off the bus before boarding. Police also assisted in ensuring compliance. He noted that the vehicle lost control only moments later and crashed into the river, but fortunately no passengers were inside.

Deputy Commissioner Afrozza Parveen emphasized that adherence to safety measures played a crucial role in preventing a major disaster. She said the investigation committee would examine the circumstances surrounding the accident and recommend further action once its report is submitted.