A bus crashed through the side of a bridge and fell into a river at Chakoria in Cox’s Bazar early on Monday. Police say atleast 18 passengers have died.
Chakoria police station OC Ranjit Kumar Barua said the accident was reported from Chiringa in Chakoria upazila around 5:00am.
Barua told bdnews24.com that the bus belonged to Nirapad Uppal Service and was on its way from Gazipur to Cox’s Bazar when it crashed through the railings on the edge of the bridge over Matamuhuri River and fell into it.
Local residents joined rescue efforts immediately. By 9:00am, atleast 16 bodies had been fished out of the river, Barua said.
27 injured passengers were rescued and sent to hospital but a child died on the way, he said.
An officer of the CMCH police outpost, Shilbrata Barua, said 13 injured passengers were admitted to the Chittagong Medical College Hospital. An unidentified 45-year-old man died there.
“Those rescued have said the bus was carrying 43 passengers. Police and army have now called off the rescue operations after they were sure no one else was there in the half-submerged bus,” Barua said.
Quoting injured passenger, Barua said the group in the bus had come from Gazipur to Chittagong’s Fatikchhari to attend a religious gathering and were then on their way to Cox’s Bazar.bdnews24.com
