Deadly ferry terminal accident in Bangladesh claims 24 lives

Addis Ababa, March 26, 2026 (FMC) — At least 24 people have died after a passenger bus carrying around 40 passengers plunged into the Padma River in central Bangladesh while attempting to board a ferry, authorities said Thursday.

The accident occurred on Wednesday afternoon at the Daulatdia ferry terminal in Rajbari district, about 100 kilometers west of Dhaka, according to Reuters.

Local officials reported that as the bus approached the ferry loading area, it lost control, overturned, and sank nearly 9 meters into the river. Fire Service and Civil Defence personnel, along with police, army, coast guard, and other rescue units, rushed to the scene to assist.

Rescuers recovered 22 bodies from inside the submerged bus, including men, women, and children, while two additional women died after being pulled from the river, bringing the confirmed death toll to 24. Authorities warned that more passengers could still be missing.

Emergency operations were supported by specialist divers and multiple fire service units, who worked into the night to locate survivors and recover the bus from the riverbed.

Traffic accidents involving buses and ferries are frequent in Bangladesh, where extensive land and river transport networks intersect, often leading to serious safety incidents, the report added.