One Dead as Bus Plunges into Canal Near Manikganj

A passenger died and at least twelve others sustained severe injuries after a Dhaka-bound bus veered out of control and plunged into a roadside canal in Manikganj. The incident occurred on the Dhaka-Aricha highway near the Barangail bus stand area in Shibaloy upazila. Local authorities attributed the crash to reckless driving and a sudden mechanical failure.

The accident took place at approximately 8:00 am on Sunday, 19 July. Police and eyewitnesses reported that the passenger bus, operated by ‘Selfie Paribahan’, had commenced its journey from the Paturia ferry ghat earlier that morning, heading towards the capital. As the vehicle neared the Barangail bus stand, the driver attempted to overtake another transit bus at high speed. During this reckless manoeuvre, one of the front tyres burst with a loud bang.

Because of the excessive speed, the driver instantly lost steering control. The momentum forced the heavy vehicle off the tarmac, causing it to crash through the embankment and plunge into a canal situated directly between two parallel bridges. The impact left the vehicle partially submerged, trapping terrified commuters inside the twisted wreckage.

Nearby residents and shopkeepers rushed to the scene upon hearing the crash. Demonstrating immense bravery, the locals waded into the water to smash open the windows and rescue trapped passengers. Shortly afterwards, teams from the local fire service and the highway police arrived to bolster the rescue operations.

The emergency responders evacuated ten to twelve injured individuals, transferring them swiftly to various upazila and district-level hospitals. One of the critically injured passengers, identified as 50-year-old Delwar Hossain, succumbed to his injuries while undergoing emergency treatment at the hospital.

Harun Or Rashid, the Officer-in-Charge of Barangail Highway Police Station, confirmed the details of the incident. He reiterated that the combination of a tyre puncture and excessive speed prevented the driver from regaining control before the vehicle plummeted into the canal. The officer added that salvage operations to retrieve the submerged bus using a heavy crane are currently underway. Law enforcement authorities have already initiated the necessary legal proceedings to investigate the crash.