Bangladesh News

At least 14 people died and 20 others were injured when a bus carrying picnickers slammed into an electric pole and was electrified in Cox’s Bazar yesterday morning.

Thirteen of the dead were passengers of the bus while a pedestrian was also killed. The bus was carrying around 50 garment factory employees and their families to their annual picnic in Cox’s Bazar from Chittagong, police said.

Identity of 11 victims could be known. They are Rehana, 20, Hasina, 17, Parvin, 25, Jasim, 24, Baki, 18, Bithi, 22, Mita, 24, Rokeya, 26, Arif, 25, Keya, 25, and Nabi Hossain, 22. Of the injured, condition of Shimul and Kajal was critical.

Over 300 employees and members of their families of Trade Scan Apparel Ltd of Askarabad in Chittagong city under Doublemooring Police Station had set off around 7:30am for a picnic in six rented buses.

The accident occurred around 11:00am at Jettyghat in Rashidnagar of Ramu upazila about 25km from Cox’s Bazar. The ill-fated bus first hit a small teak tree when it tried to avoid a head-on collision with a fish-laden truck that suddenly jumped into the wrong side of the highway. Pedestrian Nabi Hossain died on the spot when the bus hit the tree. It then went on to hit an 11-kilovolt electric pole. The pole along with live wires collapsed on the bus electrifying the vehicle and starting a fire.

Thirteen bus passengers died in the bus. Only a few passengers could jump out of the bus through the windows, witnesses said.

Police recovered the bodies and sent the injured to Cox’s Bazar Sadar Hospital.

Deputy commissioner and superintendent of police of Cox’s Bazar visited the spot.

Superintendent of Police of Cox’s Bazar Banaj Kumar Majumdar said the 13 victims were electrocuted.

Meanwhile, shock gripped the officials and management of the garment factory as the news of their employees’ death reached the factory. Managing Director Ishtiaque Ahmed and General Manager Bapan Das Gupta could not find words to express their grief.

“We are trying to find out the identity of the dead and injured and we will send the bodies to their homes. The management will do everything needed for the victims’ families,” Bapan told journalists.