Three investigative committees from the Islamic University of Technology (IUT), Buet, and the Rural Electrification Board (REB) suggested shared responsibility among the Power Division, BRTC, university authorities, and the resort management.
They made the observation while visiting the site in Sreepur, Gazipur, on Monday morning where three IUT students were electrocuted during a picnic.
The accident occurred when a BRTC double-decker bus carrying the students came in contact with a high-voltage power line.
The teams, led by Professor Rakib Hasan (IUT), Professor Ziaur Rahman Khan (Buet), and Akmal Hossain (general manager, Mymensingh Palli Bidyut Samity-II), inspected the Udaikhali area of Telihati union.
Professor Ziaur Rahman Khan from Buet said: "The road to Matir Maya Resort appears to have risen by at least three feet in recent years, lowering the clearance of power lines."
He added that many power lines in the area hang precariously low.
Professor Ziaur highlighted the negligence involved: “The power line should have been elevated when the road height increased. The use of a double-decker bus on the narrow village road was inappropriate. Resort authorities failed to assess the safety risks involved in routing the buses through the area.”
While an official report will follow, the professor emphasized that all parties — the university authorities, Power Division, BRTC, and the resort authorities — bear some responsibility for the tragic deaths.
Local resident Shamim Ahmed described how the incident unfolded. He observed an argument between a student with a stick and a rickshaw driver, trying to navigate the narrow road ahead of the buses.
During this, the rear of the bus touched the power line, causing an immediate spark and electrocution.
The REB has since marked the area as hazardous, placing red danger signs along the road. Locals noted that seven warning signs were installed following the accident.
The incident has raised questions about infrastructure safety and accountability, with all stakeholders awaiting the official findings from the investigation committees.
On Saturday morning, around 460 students of IUT’s Mechanical Engineering Department headed to Matir Maya Eco Resort in Uttor Pallaid village of Telihati Union in six double-decker BRTC buses and three microbuses.
The buses left the Dhaka-Mymensingh highway and took a rural road towards the resort.
Upon reaching Udaykhali Bazar, one of the BRTC double-decker buses touched a live power line. The bus, carrying around 60-70 passengers, caused several students to be electrocuted.
The injured were rushed to Mymensingh Medical College Hospital, where doctors declared three students dead.