Passengers' compliance with ferry safety measures prevented fatalities in Daulatdia bus accident: Ministry
No casualties were reported because all passengers had been required to disembark from the bus before it boarded the ferry, in line with the ministry’s safety directives.
Strict adherence to ferry safety protocols helped prevent a potentially deadly accident at Daulatdia ferry ghat today (5 June) when a passenger bus plunged into the Padma River while boarding a ferry, according to the Ministry of Shipping.
The ministry said in a press release that the accident occurred around 9:30am when an SB Paribahan bus travelling from Kushtia to Dhaka lost control while boarding a ferry at Daulatdia Ghat No 7 and fell into the river after breaking through the ferry's opposite-side ramp.
However, no casualties were reported because all passengers had been required to disembark from the bus before it boarded the ferry, in line with the ministry's safety directives.
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The ministry said the incident demonstrates the importance of following established ferry safety measures, including disembarking passengers before loading vehicles onto ferries and ensuring passengers use designated boarding routes.
Following the accident, rescue teams immediately launched an operation and successfully rescued the driver and his assistant alive. Both were taken to the hospital for treatment. The submerged bus was later recovered by the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority's salvage vessel Hamza.
In the wake of the incident, the Ministry of Shipping renewed its call for passengers, transport operators and ferry authorities to strictly comply with all safety regulations to minimise risks and prevent loss of life during ferry operations.
