A train dragged a bus for a considerable distance after it had strayed onto a level crossing in Cumilla, leaving at least 12 passengers dead and 10 others injured.
One of the injured passengers, Omar Faruk, recounted the incident while receiving treatment at Cumilla Medical College Hospital.
Speaking to Prothom Alo, he said, “I was asleep on the bus. Suddenly, a violent jolt and a deafening noise woke me. I saw the train dragging the bus along. Before I could understand anything, the inside of the bus was completely crushed.”
Faruk said he later lost consciousness and only regained his senses in hospital. He could not recall who had brought him there or when.
The accident occurred at the Paduar Bazar level crossing in Cumilla Sadar Dakshin upazila along the Dhaka–Chattogram highway at around 2:55 am on Sunday.
Moynamoti Highway police station officer-in-charge Abdul Momin confirmed the information on Sunday morning.
According to him, the deceased include seven adult men, three women and two children.
Police said the Dhaka Mail train was travelling from Chattogram to Dhaka, while the Mamun Special Paribahan bus was heading from Chuadanga to Lakshmipur. After the collision, the mangled bus was dragged a significant distance by the train.
Inspector Saiful, in charge of the EPZ police outpost under Cumilla Sadar Dakshin Model police station, said they received reports of the crash shortly before 3:00 am.
He further said that tire Service personnel, railway police and highway police rushed to the scene and rescued the casualties, who were then taken to hospital. It is believed the accident occurred after the bus moved onto the railway tracks.
Ajay Bhowmik, a duty physician at the emergency department of Cumilla Medical College Hospital, said the victims were brought in around 4:00 am.
“We received 12 bodies. Among the injured, eight were treated at the hospital. Most of the casualties suffered severe head injuries and significant blood loss,” he said.
Two separate investigation committees have been formed by the railway authorities to determine the cause of the accident.
The committees have been asked to submit their findings within three working days, said Chattogram Divisional Railway Manager Mostafizur Rahman Bhuiyan on Sunday morning.