Grief Strikes the Banks of the Padma as Relatives of Missing Victims Mourn

On Wednesday (March 25) afternoon, a passenger bus of "Souhardya Paribahan" sank into the Padma River at Doulotdia 3rd ferry terminal in Rajbari, causing widespread grief among the relatives of the missing passengers. The bus was traveling from Kushtia to Dhaka, and there were about 56 passengers aboard. While seven passengers managed to swim to safety, the rest remain missing. So far, four bodies have been recovered.

Among the victims, one passenger, Abdul Azizul, is inconsolable after losing his wife and child. He tearfully explained that he had planned to return to Dhaka alone on March 29 for work, but his wife refused to let him go without her. The love and attachment that kept them together in life have now turned into the deepest sorrow for him. Abdul Azizul managed to swim to shore, but he is devastated by the loss of his wife and child right in front of his eyes.

Eyewitnesses and surviving passengers stated that at around 5:15 PM, as the bus was boarding the ferry at pontoon 3, the driver lost control, and within moments, the bus overturned and sank into the river. Since then, relatives of the missing passengers have gathered by the riverbank, their cries of anguish filling the air.

According to Dewan Sohel Rana, Assistant Director of Rajbari Fire Service, special rescue divers from Paturia and Aricha ghats have arrived at the site. With the help of the rescue vessel "Hamza," efforts to locate and recover the submerged bus are underway. However, the operation is being hampered due to darkness and the strong currents of the Padma River.