At least 24 killed as bus plunges into Padma river in Bangladesh; search on for missing

At least 24 people have died and many others are still unaccounted for after a bus fell into a river in Bangladesh. This incident occurred while the bus was trying to get onto a transport ferry. Officials reported the accident on Thursday, March 26, 2026. The bus went into the Padma River around 5:15 p.m. on Wednesday, March 25, 2026, in the Rajbari district at the Dauladia terminal. The bus was traveling to Dhaka and was carrying about 40 passengers, including several children, most of whom were returning home after celebrating Id. Local fire service officials have confirmed that 24 bodies have been found. Twenty-two of these bodies were located inside the bus, which included 11 women, six men, and five children. Fire service official Sohel Rana explained to reporters that the salvage vessel named Hamza used cranes to lift the bus. Divers also recovered the bodies of two women in their late 50s or early 60s, with the rest discovered when the bus was pulled out around midnight after six hours of searching in tough weather. The search for missing individuals is ongoing, with fire service and coastguard divers working alongside military and police teams. Rajbari district administration officials stated that Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has requested updates on the recovery efforts and has called for an investigation into the incident. According to police and eyewitnesses, about 11 passengers were able to swim to safety or were rescued, but many others are still missing.