The death toll in Jhalakathi road accident has risen to 17 as Police and Fire Service and Civil Defence personnel recovered three more bodies from the road-side pond.
At least 25 people were also injured as a passenger bus fell into the pond on Khulna-Barishal regional highway in front of Dhansiri Union Parishad under Sadar upazila of the district this morning, officer-in-charge (OC) of Jhalakathi Sadar Police Station Nasir Uddin Sarker said.
The injured were taken to Jhalakathi Sadar Hospital, he said.
The deceased were identity as Tariq Rahman, 45, son of Panna Mia, resident of Bhandaria Municipality area in Pirojpur district, Salam Mollah,60, son of Muzaffar Ali, resident of Bhandaria Municipal Police Station area under Bhandaria upazila in Pirojpur district, Khadija Begum, 43, wife of late Maulana Nazrul Islam, Khushbo Akhter, 17, daughter of Maulana Nazrul Islam, resident of Village Nizamia Thana in Rajapur upazila, Shaheen Molla, 25, son of late Salam Mollah, resident of Bhandaria Municipal Police Station area in Bhandaria upazila in Pirojpur district, Sumaiya, 6, daughter of Jalal Howladar, resident of Village Pasharibunia in Bhandaria upazila, Abdullah, 8, son of Delwar Hossain, resident Village Char Boaliza under Bakerganj upazila in Barishal district, Rahima Begum, 60 wife of late Lal Mia, resident of Rizav Pukur Par area in Bhandaria upazila in Pirojpur district, Abul Kalam Hawladar, son of late Lal Mia Hawladar, Ripamoni, 2, daughter of Ripon, resident of Mehediganj Sadar upazila in Barishal district, Irene Akhter, 22 , wife Ripon Howladar, resident of Mehediganj upazila in Barishal district, Nayan, 16, son of Nazrul Islam, resident of Balaibari in Rajapur, Rabeya Begum, 80, wife of late Fazlul Haque Mridha, resident of North Sialkathi in Bhandaria, and Salma Akhter Mita,42 daughter of Taibur Rahman, resident of Bashbuniya under Kathalia upazila of the district.
The identities of the remaining three deceased could not be known immediately, officer-in-charge (OC) of Jhalakathi Sadar Police Station Nasir Uddin Sarker said.
The accident occurred around 10am when the driver of the Barishal-bound speedy bus of Bashar Smrity Paribhan with 60/70 passengers from Bhandaria lost control over the steering while giving side to an auto-rickshaw and fell into the pond.
Police and Fire Service and Civil Defence personnel rushed to the spot upon receiving the news and recovered 17 bodies from the pond.
The bodies were handed over to the family members, the OC added.
Deputy Commissioner (DC) Farah Gul Nijhum said that a five-member investigation committee has been formed headed by Additional District Magistrate Mamun Shibli to investigate the accident. The inquiry committee will submit the inquiry report within three days.
