Krishnagar, Feb. 19: A woman was forced to get off a government bus in the middle of a national highway when she developed labour pain.

Jamarul Bibi,32, delivered a 3.5kg boy on a field off the road in Plassey.

Passersby saw her helpless husband looking on as she tried to give birth and arranged for a midwife.

“My wife would not have survived but for their help,” said Mohammad Firoz, who works as a carpenter in Pune and was returning home with his wife.

They had taken the bus to Dalkhola, North Dinajpur, from Howrah, 500km away.

Madarsa teacher Abdul Alim was one of those who saw the woman writhing in pain. Alim called others for help.

“We cordoned off the area and arranged a local dhai,” said Alim. “We thought the woman would die. But many people came with cotton, hot water and antiseptic liquids. The delivery went off well.”

After the baby was born, Jamarul was taken to the block hospital. Doctors said the mother and the child were fine.

The couple reached Howrah from Pune at 7am and took the state bus. “When my wife started complaining of pain at Nakashipara (in Nadia), I asked the driver and the conductor to help us reach a hospital. They refused to stop before Behrampore,” said Firoz.

Nakashipara is 50km from Behrampore in Murshidabad.

Jamarul could not take the pain anymore when the bus reached Plassey. “The driver and conductor simply asked us to get off. Some passengers complained, but the duo didn’t care,” said Firoz.