The Matlab-bound bus called Matlab Express plunged into a roadside ditch close to Gouripur bus stop in Comilla’s Daudkandi upazila after its driver suddenly lost control over the steering.
After the accident on Friday afternoon, onlookers got busy filming and taking snaps of what just then happened with the people on board and the bus that had set off from Dhaka earlier in the day.
But, at that very moment, Daudkandi Highway Police Constable Parvej Mia appeared the scene and dived into the waterbody, risking his own life to rescue the people who were still inside the bus.
Then he immediately broke the window glasses of thebus so that the passengers could come out of it easily.
His presence of mind proved priceless as it helped at least 25 passengers escape a certain death.
After the heroic rescue mission, Parvej said: “To me, it turned out to be a matter of great surprise that I managed to rescue all the passengers after the bus fell into the filthy waterbody.”
But, he criticised the people who were recording video or taking picture of the accident instead of helping them, which could claim several lives.
“It is so unfortunate that the people, who were standing nearby the site of the accident, did not step forward to rescue those in trouble,” he said.
The situation, he claimed, prompted him to risk his life for rescuing the victims.
“At the fag end of the rescue operation, I noticed that a five-year-old child was among the rescued passengers,” the policeman said, adding, he dived several more times to make sure that nobody else was still under water.
Locals and witnesses said it was incredible the way Parvej rescued the passengers, just moments after the accident.
They also wondered that nobody died in the accident, which they termed miraculous.
Praising Parvej highly for his work, Selina Akter, headmistress of Pennai Government Primary School, said his instant intelligence was absolutely incomparable.
Daudkandi Highway Police Officer-in-Charge Md Abul Kalam said they were proud of Parvej for the his heroic and successful effort.
Comilla region Highway Police Super Paritosh Ghosh and the headmistress announced a reward of Tk10,000 and Tk 5,000 respective for Parvej.
When contacted, the highway police super said: “Parvej’s performance to rescue the 25 people is a pride for our department, which can never be evaluated by rewarding him. Then again, we will recommend that he be given the highest state honour.”
This story was first published on Bangla Tribune
Thursday, April 25, 2024
