A man was killed and 14 others were injured when a bus carrying 40 passengers plunged into a roadside pond at Barisal’s Gourandi on Saturday afternoon.
The accident took place when the bus was trying to avoid a collision with a three-wheeler (Mahindra) on the Dhaka-Barisal highway, Gournadi Highway police station Officer-in-Charge Golam Rasul Molla confirmed.
The deceased was identified as the bus helper Alamin Howladar, 30.
The injured are Khadija Begum, 25, Fatema Begum, 65, Shifat, 9, Siam, 9, Mahamuda Jahan, 50, of, Lamia Khanam, 28, Zakia Khanam, 28, Sakila, 10, Arif, 10, Benu Begum, 65, Sunil Baron, 60, Namita Biswas, 52, Shahida Begum, 55.
Gournadi Fire Service Station Officer Bipul Hossain Bipul Hossain said: “The injured passengers were admitted to Barisal Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital and Gournadi Upazila Health Complex.”
Titu Hawladar, one of the survivors, said: "The Golden Life Paribahan bus, carrying 40 passengers, left Gabtoli Bus Terminal this morning. It was headed to Barisal’s Agailjhara. Around 11am, the bus fell into a roadside pond, trying to avoid a three-wheeler collision."
Upon receiving the information, the Gournadi Fire Station staff arrived at the scene and rescued the passengers.