The accident occurred at around 3.15am on 24 October in the Hasara area, on the Dhaka-bound carriageway of the Dhaka–Mawa Expressway. Two units of the Fire Service and Civil Defence were dispatched to the scene and began rescue operations.
One of the deceased was identified as Rukunuzzaman Ranjু, 55, from Chuadanga. The identities of the other two victims had not been established immediately. Their bodies were recovered and handed over to the highway police.
According to Muhammad Shafiqul Islam PFM, deputy assistant director of the Munshiganj Fire Service and Civil Defence, the bus was travelling from Chuadanga to Dhaka when the driver lost control while attempting to overtake a covered van.
The vehicle then broke through the roadside barrier, crossed the service lane and plunged into the water-filled ditch alongside the expressway.
Rescue teams from the Srinagar Fire Station arrived promptly after receiving reports of the crash. Eleven injured passengers were taken by Fire Service ambulance to Srinagar Upazila Health Complex for medical treatment, while five others received first aid at the scene.
The injured passengers were identified as Hridoy, 30; Shahin Akter, 32; Nur Islam, 55; Imran, 27; Gilbad Sarker, 55; Tarikul Islam, 36; Saiful Islam, 40; Mirajul Islam, 28; Rafiqul Islam, 35; Anifin, 17; Sandipan Basu, 40; Ikram, 40; Raihan, 21; Hasib, 22; Tisha, 24; and Borhan Uddin, 55. They come from different areas of Chuadanga, Meherpur, Jhenaidah, Dhaka and Magura.
The circumstances of the crash point to the risks associated with overtaking on busy highways. A driver attempting to pass another vehicle must assess the available space, the speed of surrounding traffic and the distance needed to complete the manoeuvre safely. Losing control can have particularly serious consequences where a road is bordered by barriers, service lanes or water-filled ditches.
The Dhaka–Mawa Expressway is an important transport corridor connecting the capital with districts in south-western Bangladesh. It carries long-distance passenger buses, freight vehicles and private cars, making road safety a significant concern for both drivers and passengers.
Although the initial account indicates that the bus lost control while overtaking the covered van, no further details were immediately available about its speed, mechanical condition or whether other factors contributed to the accident. The available information also did not establish the identities of the two other people killed.
The crash left three people dead and 16 injured, underscoring the potentially devastating consequences of losing control on a major road. Further information from the relevant authorities would be needed to establish the full circumstances surrounding the incident.
