6 die as bus crushes rickshaw, plunges into ditch in Madaripur

Sunday evening in Madaripur turned into a nightmare on the Dhaka-Barisal Highway. A passenger bus lost control and plunged into a roadside ditch, smashing a battery-run rickshaw in its path. 

The impact was immediate and brutal – six people died instantly, and several others were left injured, writhing in pain as smoke and dust filled the air.

The accident occurred in the Ghatakchar area of Madaripur Sadar Upazila. 

Locals who witnessed the scene described a chilling moment: the bus, a Sarbik Paribahan vehicle travelling from Madaripur to Dhaka, veered off the road without warning, tilting dangerously before landing in the ditch. 

The rickshaw, a small three-wheeler carrying three passengers, had no chance to escape. 

Its fragile frame was crushed under the heavy wheels of the bus. Eyewitnesses said the cries of the injured and the terrified shouts of bystanders filled the air.

Fire Service and Highway Police teams rushed to the chaotic scene. 

Officers pulled survivors from the wreckage, tending to deep wounds and shock-stricken victims. 

The injured were rushed to Madaripur 250-bed General Hospital, while the bodies of the deceased were recovered and sent to the morgue for autopsy. The identities of the victims remain unknown.

Officer-in-Charge Mamun Al Rashid of Madaripur Mustafapur Highway Police Station confirmed the accident, noting that an investigation is underway to determine why the bus lost control. “Our first priority was to rescue the injured and recover the deceased. The cause of the accident is being examined,” he said.

The accident has left the local community shaken. Residents say the highway is one of the busiest in the region, yet safety measures are minimal. “It was terrifying,” said one witness. “People were screaming, some lying motionless, some trapped under the wreckage. It’s something I will never forget.”

As authorities continue their investigation, the tragedy highlights the fragile line between routine travel and disaster on Bangladesh’s roads. For the families of the victims and the witnesses, Sunday evening will be remembered as a moment of sudden horror, a stark reminder of how quickly life can be shattered.