At least 12 people were killed and 20 others injured when a passenger bus collided head-on with a sand-laden truck on the Natore-Pabna highway in Baraigram upazila early Tuesday.
The accident occurred around 4:30am in the Sarkarpara area as an RP Paribahan bus travelling from Barguna to Rajshahi collided with a Pabna-bound truck coming from the opposite direction.
Police and local residents said nine people, including the bus driver and his assistant, died at the scene.
The injured were rescued and taken to Baraigram Upazila Health Complex, Natore Sadar Hospital and Rajshahi Medical College Hospital.
Bonpara Highway Police Station Sub-Inspector Md Alamgir Hossain and Natore Fire Service and Civil Defence Station Officer Abdur Rouf confirmed nine deaths at the scene.
Nine of the 12 deceased have so far been identified.
They are Md Sohel Rana, 40, son of Abdul Hakim of Faradpur village in Godagari, Rajshahi; Anwar Haque, 30, son of Babar Ali of Chaypara village in Bagmara, Rajshahi; and Tasfia, 8, daughter of Shahidul Islam of Subid Ali village in Mirzaganj, Patuakhali.
The other identified victims are Jewel, 40, son of Jahar Uddin of Ramkrishnapur village in Zajira, Shariatpur; truck driver Md Kalam, 35, of Baranagar village in Baratala, Jhenaidah; and Salal Molla, 45, son of Jahan Uddin Molla of Dubi Sahabur village in Zajira, Shariatpur.
The remaining identified victims are Md Shahin, 35, son of Razzak of Kazir Hat village in Zajira, Shariatpur; Sohag, 30, son of Yunus of Dubi Sahabur village in Zajira, Shariatpur; and Abdus Samad, 70, son of Arab Ali Fakir of the same village.
The identities of the remaining five victims have yet to be established.
