Palace: A Tragic accident at Daulatdia ferry pier ghat in Rajbari. A passenger bus waiting to cross the river lost control after being hit by a ferry and fell into the Padma River. The incident of the bus sinking with about 40 passengers has cast a shadow of extreme tension and grief in the area. As of the latest news, two bodies have been recovered from the river.
How the accident started
The incident took place at around 5:15 pm on Wednesday at Daulatdia Ferry Ghat No. 3. Eyewitnesses and local sources said that a bus of ‘Souhardyo Paribahan’ from Rajbari district town left for Dhaka with about 40 passengers. The bus reached Daulatdia Ghat and was waiting on the pontoon to board the ferry. Tragic accident at Daulatdia ferry pier
At that very moment, a small utility ferry named ‘Hasna Hena’ came from Paturia and hit the pontoon with force. The bus on the pontoon could not cope with the force of the ferry and fell directly into the deep Padma. Tragic accident at Daulatdia ferry pier
Fire service on rescue mission
Locals tried to rescue the passengers immediately after the accident, but it was not possible due to the depth of the water and the current. A fire service diving team quickly reached the scene after receiving the information. The fire service head office said that rescue work is currently underway to search for the missing passengers. Tragic accident at Daulatdia ferry pier
Two more special units from Dhaka and Faridpur have left for the scene to bring the situation under control and expedite the rescue work. Hundreds of eager and terrified people are currently gathered on the riverbank.
Eyewitness account
Md. Monir Hossain, the pier supervisor of the transport department who was on duty at the pier at the time of the accident, said, “Everything happened in the blink of an eye. The bus had just arrived at the pier. After leaving a big ferry, the bus was waiting on the pontoon for the next ferry. At that time, the ‘Hasna Hena’ ferry arrived and pushed the pontoon so hard that the bus lost control in an instant and fell into the river.” Tragic accident at Daulatdia ferry pier
We couldn’t do anything even though we screamed. There were many women and children inside the bus, who couldn’t get out. Tragic accident at Daulatdia ferry pier
Number of missing and casualties
So far, the administration has confirmed the recovery of two bodies. However, only a few of the 40 passengers on the bus were able to swim to shore. The fate of the rest is still uncertain. Tragic accident at Daulatdia ferry pier It is believed that many are trapped inside the bus.
Mohammad Salah Uddin, Assistant General Manager of BIWTC Daulatdia Office, said that efforts are being made to pull the bus out of the water with rescue ships and additional manpower following the tragic accident at Daulatdia Ferry Terminal.
Security questions
There have been long-standing complaints about the carelessness of drivers and the safety of pontoons in ferry crossings on the Daulatdia-Paturia route. After today’s accident, there has been intense anger among ordinary passengers and locals. They say that drivers should have been more careful while ferrying. Especially, such a disaster has occurred due to the inability to control the speed of utility ferries.
Relatives mourn tragic accident at Daulatdia ferry pier
The sky and air on the banks of the river are now heavy with the cries of people who have lost their loved ones. People are waiting on the banks of the river, risking their lives, in search of missing passengers. Many are trying to call the mobile numbers of their loved ones, but most are not getting the connection. The local administration has said that it is not possible to say the exact number of casualties until the rescue work is completed.
The turbulent current of the Padma River and the approaching darkness of the evening are making it difficult to conduct rescue operations. However, the Fire Service and BIWTA are jointly making all-out efforts. Concerned circles have demanded an investigation into why the tragic accident occurred at the Daulatdia ferry pier and whether there was any negligence on the part of the ferry driver.
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