At least 24 dead after bus falls into river while boarding ferry in Bangladesh

A bus carrying around 40 passengers plunged into the Padma River while attempting to board a ferry in Bangladesh, killing at least 24 people. Rescue teams continue searching for any survivors.

Reuters

26 March 2026 at 06:51:44

At least 24 dead after bus falls into river while boarding ferry in Bangladesh

A woman looks toward the bodies of the victims kept at a mortuary after a bus met with an accident and plunged into Padma River in Rajbari, Bangladesh, March 26, 2026.

Abdul Goni/Reuters

At least 24 people died after a passenger bus carrying around 40 passengers plunged into the Padma River while attempting to board a ferry in Bangladesh, officials said on Thursday (March 26).

The accident occurred on Wednesday (March 25) when the bus lost control approaching a ferry at Daulatdia in Rajbari district, about 100 km (62 miles) from Dhaka. The bus overturned and sank nearly 9 metres (30 feet) into the river, according to police and the Fire Service and Civil Defence.

Rescuers recovered 22 bodies from inside the submerged bus, including six men, 11 women and five children, Fire Service official Talha Bin Zasim said. Twenty-four people have been confirmed dead so far, including two women who died after being rescued, he said.

Four fire service units and 10 divers were leading the search and rescue efforts, supported by the army, police, coast guard and local authorities. Officials fear more passengers may still be missing. Hundreds of people die each year in road and ferry accidents in Bangladesh.

Production: Mark Ho/Reuters