11 Dead in Doulotdia Bus Accident, Rescue Operation Ongoing for Missing Passengers

In a tragic bus accident at the Doulotdia ferry terminal in Rajbari on Wednesday (March 25), 11 people have been confirmed dead, and more than 20 passengers are still missing. The government has announced financial assistance of BDT 25,000 for the families of the deceased and BDT 15,000 for the injured to support their medical treatment.

On Wednesday afternoon, a bus from Souhardya Paribahan, traveling from Kushtia to Dhaka, lost control and sank into the Padma River at the Doulotdia 3rd ferry terminal pontoon. The bus was carrying 45-50 passengers. Immediately after the incident, the local administration launched a rescue operation.

So far, 11 bodies have been recovered, but several passengers are still feared missing. The bus was recovered from the river at midnight with the help of the rescue ship 'Hamza.' Rescue teams are continuing their efforts to locate and recover the remaining bodies.

Following the incident, the State Minister for Shipping, Rajib Ahsan, visited the Doulotdia ferry terminal and announced financial assistance for the victims. He stated that the families of the deceased would receive BDT 25,000, and BDT 15,000 would be given to the injured for their medical treatment. He confirmed that the funds would be provided from the government’s emergency relief fund.

The Minister also announced that an investigation committee would be formed to determine the cause of the accident. He assured that necessary actions would be taken based on the findings of the investigation.

Meanwhile, local authorities have assured that rescue operations are ongoing and that all efforts are being made to locate the missing passengers. Additionally, stronger safety measures will be implemented to prevent such incidents in the future.

The district administrations of Dhaka and Kushtia are monitoring the rescue operations closely and ensuring that all necessary information is provided promptly.