The driver of the bus that plunged into a roadside pond, leaving 17 people dead and 35 injured, did not have a licence to operate heavy vehicles, said an investigation committee formed to probe into the accident.
The driver Mohan Khan had a licence to run light vehicles (motorcycles and private cars) which was issued in 2020 but he was driving a heavy vehicle with that license, said Mahabubur Rahman, a member of the five-member committee on Sunday.
Besides, at the time of the accident, Mohan was talking with several bus passengers, including supervisor and helper.
So the investigation committee initially believe that the negligence of the driver was the main cause of this road accident, said the official, who is also an assistant director of BRTA (Bangladesh Road Transport Authority) of Jhalakathi.
While driving the bus, he was repeatedly talking with the supervisor and helper, insisting that they pick up extra passengers. He was also in altercations with passengers who were protesting against picking up extra people as the bus was already overcrowded.
The information was collected after talking with injured bus passengers, said the official.
They blamed the driver's carelessness behind the tragic road crash.
Mamun Shibli, additional district magistrate, Jhalakathi, and head of the investigation committee, said the report of the investigation committee will be submitted within scheduled time.
Meanwhile, the dead bodies of eight women, six men and three children killed in the accident were handed over to their relatives and their burials had been completed.
District police have distributed Tk6,000 to each deceased family for the burial, said Afruzul Haque Tutul, superintendent of district police.
No case has been filed yet.
Jhalakathi district administration on Saturday formed a five-member investigation committee over the tragic bus accident in Chhatrakanda area of the Sadar upazila that resulted in at least 17 deaths and dozens of injuries.
