12 Injured as Passenger Bus Overturns into Ditch in Brahmanbaria

At least 12 passengers were injured after a passenger bus overturned and fell into a roadside ditch in Kasba upazila of Brahmanbaria on Sunday. No deaths or other major casualties were reported, with local residents quickly rushing to the scene and helping rescue those trapped inside the vehicle.

The accident took place at around 11am on 26 July in the Golasar area of Kharera Union, alongside the Cumilla–Sylhet Highway.

According to police and local residents, a bus operated by Diganta Paribahan was travelling from Kuti in Kasba towards Brahmanbaria with passengers on board. The journey was reportedly proceeding normally until the vehicle reached the Golasar area, where one of its tyres became punctured.

The sudden tyre failure is believed to have caused the driver to lose control of the bus. The vehicle subsequently veered off the highway and overturned into a ditch beside the road.

The accident caused panic among the passengers, while people in the surrounding area immediately gathered at the scene. Local residents helped pull passengers out of the overturned bus and arranged for those injured to be taken to nearby hospitals and healthcare facilities. The injured passengers received initial medical treatment, according to local sources.

The incident could have resulted in more serious consequences given the number of people travelling on the bus. The prompt response from residents, however, helped ensure that the passengers were brought out of the damaged vehicle without a major loss of life being reported.

The accident also caused concern among road users travelling along the busy Cumilla–Sylhet Highway, one of the important routes connecting several districts in the region. Vehicle control can become particularly difficult when a tyre suddenly fails, especially if a bus is travelling at speed or the driver is unable to stabilise the vehicle immediately.

Officer-in-Charge Mohammad Abu Taher of Sarail Khatihata Highway Police Station said police reached the scene after receiving information about the accident. Officers were working to recover the overturned bus and assess the circumstances surrounding the incident.

The bus driver, however, had reportedly fled the scene after the accident and could not be found for questioning. Police said efforts were under way to recover the vehicle and gather further information about the incident.

Authorities are expected to examine the condition of the bus and determine whether the tyre failure was the sole cause of the accident or whether other factors, including vehicle maintenance or driving conditions, may have contributed. The circumstances surrounding the incident will become clearer once the driver is located and the investigation progresses.