Bangladesh bus accident: Overloaded bus plunges into pond, 17 killed and 35 injured

Bangladesh bus accident: A tragic accident in Chhatrakanda, Bangladesh, claimed the lives of 17 people, including three children, and left 35 others injured. The Barishal-bound bus of "Bashar Smriti Paribahan" was carrying over 60 passengers, surpassing its capacity of 52 when it veered off the road and fell into a roadside pond on the Barishal-Khulna highway.

Survivors blamed the driver's carelessness and the overcrowded conditions of the bus for the tragedy. Many passengers were standing in the aisle due to the overcrowding. Most of the victims hailed from Pirojpur's Bhandaria upazila and Jhalkathi's Rajapur area.

Bus accidents have unfortunately become commonplace in Bangladesh. According to the Road Safety Foundation (RSF), there were 559 road accidents in June, resulting in 562 fatalities and 812 injuries. The report also revealed that 169 people lost their lives in 207 motorcycle accidents during the same period.

The RSF's observation and analysis showed that the majority of accidents occurred on regional roads, followed by national highways and rural roads. Waterway accidents, railway accidents, and pedestrian fatalities also contributed to the grim statistics, making road safety a pressing concern in the country.

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