40-seater bus had 50 passengers on board: Counter Master

New details have deepened fears over the Padma river tragedy, with transport officials now saying the bus that plunged into the river Padma at Daulatdia Ferry Terminal was carrying around 50 people, well above its 40-seat capacity.

At least 13 of them, mostly from Kumarkhali and Khoksha upazilas in Kushtia, are still missing.

The Souhardya Paribahan bus had left Kumarkhali Municipal Bus Terminal at around 2:30 pm on Wednesday, March 25, heading towards the capital. 

What began as a routine inter-district journey ended in disaster just hours later as the bus sank while attempting to board a ferry.

Kumarkhali counter master of Souhardya Paribahan, Tanmoy Ahmed, said the bus started with six passengers, picking up more along the way – seven from Khoksha, four from Machhpara and 15 from Pangsha.

“In total, around 50 people, including the driver and his assistant, were on board,” he said, adding that the identities of the passengers could not yet be confirmed.

He also claimed that brake failure may have contributed to the accident.

The transport company’s supervisor at Daulatdia terminal, Md Monir Hossain, said the bus had reached the ghat around 5:00 pm and was waiting for the next ferry after one departed for Paturia.

At approximately 5:15 pm, a utility ferry named Hasna Hena struck the pontoon. The forceful impact caused the bus to lose balance and roll into the river before most passengers could react, he said.

Eyewitnesses described scenes of panic – people shouting, some forcing their way out through windows, others vanishing with the sinking vehicle. Locals rushed in immediately, managing to rescue a few, but many were unable to escape.

As rescue operations continue, the rising passenger count has intensified concerns about the scale of the tragedy. Families in Kushtia, particularly in Kumarkhali and Khoksha, are anxiously waiting for news, fearing that their loved ones may be among those still trapped beneath the river.