The driver of the Emad Paribahan bus, which fell into a ditch and killed 19 people in Madaripur, was overtired after driving continuously for 33 hours, police have said.
Jahid Hasan, 45, was behind the wheel for 33 hours over the past 48 hours, Shibchar Highway police station OC Abu Naim Md Mofazzal Hoque said.
“After primary interrogation, we came to know that the driver of Emad Paribahan was driving the bus without taking any breaks. After driving the vehicle for 33 hours, he was exhausted. Due to sleepiness, he lost control of the bus,” the OC added.
He added that they have filed a case against the authorities of Emad Paribahan. “If the driver were alive, both him, and the bus authorities would have been named in the case.”
Faridpur Zone Highway police superintendent Mahabubul Hasan said: "The bus also had mechanical defects. We have formed a probe body. After the investigation, legal action will be taken against the owner of the bus.”
Earlier on Sunday, police said that the cause of the bus accident on the Dhaka-Bhanga expressway at Shibchar in Madaripur was due to the excessive speed of the vehicle.
Madaripur Superintendent of Police (SP) Masud Alam said: “Due to reckless driving, the bus fell off the expressway.”
A case has been filed against the authorities of Emad Paribahan by Shibchar Highway Police Sergent Jayanta Sarkar on Sunday night.
The bus of Emad Paribahan leaving from Khulna at around 7:30am on Sunday lost control and fell down the expressway in Qutubpur area of Shibchar.
The death toll from an accident in the Kutubpur area in Shibchar upazila of Madaripur has risen to 19, with two people succumbing to their injuries while undergoing treatment at Dhaka Medical College Hospital late on Sunday.
Around 30 people were injured in the incident as well.