Nine Dead Following Devastating Bus Crash on Dhaka-Sylhet Highway

The death toll from a horrific head-on collision between two passenger buses on the Dhaka-Sylhet Highway in Osmaninagar Upazila has risen to nine, local authorities confirmed. The tragic collision, which took place early on Friday morning, has also left at least 14 other passengers injured, several of whom remain in critical condition.

The incident occurred at approximately 07:15 BST near the Dayamir Kashikapan area of Osmaninagar. According to officials, a Sylhet-bound passenger coach operated by Unique Paribahan collided head-on with a Bengal Paribahan bus travelling in the opposite direction towards Dhaka.

Emergency Response and Casualties

The force of the impact was catastrophic, resulting in the immediate deaths of seven passengers at the scene. Emergency services, including the Fire Service and Civil Defence, highway police personnel, and local residents, responded swiftly to execute rescue operations amidst the wreckage.

Anisur Rahman, the Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Sherpur Highway Police Station, confirmed that rescuers extracted 13 critically injured individuals from the mangled vehicles and rushed them to the Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College Hospital for urgent medical attention. Tragically, two more victims succumbed to their injuries whilst undergoing treatment at the medical facility, taking the total fatalities to nine.

“Rescue teams worked tirelessly alongside local volunteers to clear the wreckage and transport the injured to hospital,” stated OC Anisur Rahman. “Legal proceedings regarding the incident are currently ongoing.”

Among the nine deceased, authorities have successfully identified two victims so far:

• Priyam, aged 25

• Zaifa, aged 4

Efforts to ascertain the identities of the remaining seven deceased passengers are actively underway.

Fourteen individuals sustained varying degrees of trauma and injuries during the crash. The injured victims currently identified include:

• Waab (45)

• Mansur (34)

• Atiqul Islam (48)

• Babul (40)

• Mofiz Miah (55)

• Sajid Noor (45)

• Nurunnahar (40)

• Muktar Hossain (65)

• Jahangir (28)

• Afzal (30)

• Afroza (38)

• Montu (30)

• Raju (55)

Context and Highway Safety Concerns

Following the extraction of the victims, law enforcement officials towed the two heavily damaged buses away from the site, allowing vehicular traffic on the Dhaka-Sylhet Highway to return to normal conditions.

The Dhaka-Sylhet Highway is one of Bangladesh’s primary economic arteries, facilitating crucial transport and trade between the capital and the north-eastern region. However, sections of this vital corridor have historically been prone to severe traffic accidents due to high traffic density, overtaking by long-haul buses, and reckless driving practices. Transport safety experts have frequently highlighted the necessity of upgrading key national highways to four-lane dual carriageways equipped with proper medians to prevent fatal head-on crashes of this nature.

Authorities have launched a formal investigation into the exact cause of Friday’s crash to determine whether mechanical failure, excessive speed, or driver negligence contributed to the catastrophe.