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A bus carrying at least 40 people plunges into the Padma river at the Dauladia terminal, in Rajbari district, Bangladesh, Wednesday, March 25, 2026.
At least 24 people were killed and several others remain missing after a passenger bus plunged into the Padma River while attempting to board a ferry in southwestern Bangladesh, triggering a massive overnight rescue operation.
The accident took place around 5.15 pm on Wednesday at the Dauladia terminal in Rajbari district, when the Dhaka-bound bus, carrying an estimated 40 passengers including children, fell off the pontoon into the river. Most passengers were returning to the capital after Eid holidays.
Rescue teams recovered 24 bodies, with 22 found inside the submerged bus — including 11 women, six men and five children — officials said.
“(Salvage vessel) Hamza retrieved the bus with its cranes,” fire service official Sohel Rana told reporters at the scene.
He added that divers had earlier recovered the bodies of two women in their late 50s or early 60s, while the remaining victims were found after the bus was pulled out around midnight following six hours of efforts in rough weather.
Search operations are still underway, with fire service and coastguard divers continuing efforts with support from the military and police to trace those still missing.
According to Rajbari district administration officials, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman called for updates on the salvage operation and ordered an investigation into the incident.
Police and witnesses said around 11 passengers managed to swim ashore or were rescued, though many others remained unaccounted for.
“When the bus was heading towards the ferry from the pontoon, another smaller utility ferry hit the pontoon. It plunged into the river as the bus driver lost control of the steering,” the terminal’s supervisor Monir Hossain said.
“Right before our eyes, the bus fell into the river, but we could do nothing,” he added.
Doctors at the Dauladia Health Complex said two women were brought dead, while another woman, a doctor herself, is undergoing treatment.
Witnesses and officials said several passengers belonged to the same family. While some survived after standing outside the bus, their relatives remained trapped inside as it sank.
