Nine people died and 12 went missing after a mini bus fell into the Turag river near Asulia yesterday around 9:30 am.
The mini bus of Sayem Paribahan (Dhaka Metro Ja-11-1650) collided head-on with another bus of Nayeem Paribahan (Dhaka Metro Ja-11-2008) that was coming from the opposite direction and fell into the Turag River. The accident occurred beside a landing station of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) in Asulia, the outskirt of the capital.
The 28 seated mini bus was carrying 40 passengers. A fire service official said the bus sank at least 40 feet deep into the river.
A 15 member rescue team from Red Crescent and a 10 member divers’ team from Bangladesh Navy and a team from Bangladesh Fire Service and Civil Defense (FSCD) rushed to the spot around 11pm.
The teams found nine bodies till 1pm and handed five of them to their respective relatives, said Sheikh Farid, officer-in-charge of Turag police station.
The five deceased were identified as Ali Hossain, Robiullah, Dr Fazlur Rahman, Sarwar Morshed and Abdur Rahman Babu.
Witnesses said, the police hired a crane as they failed to lift up the bus by their own crane.
The injured are identified as Humayun Kabir (35), Golam Mostofa (45), Khokon (25), Yeasmin Jahan (45), Mashiur Ahmed (35), Tarek (30), Mizanur (27), Abdus Salam (25), Mostofa Ahmed (25), Jillur Rahman (35), Rafik (19), Abdur Rauf (41), Siddiqur Rahman (43), Fayez Ahmed (30), Saiful (21), Nurul Amin (16), Rasel (26) and Mainul Islam (32).
The co-ordinator of the rescue team, Lieutenant Rasel Hawladar of Bangladesh Navy announced the rescue operation closed at 2pm.
