At least three people were killed and 18 others injured when a passenger bus collided head-on with a sand-laden truck in Shahrashti upazila of Chandpur on Tuesday morning.
The accident occurred around 8am in the Baniyachong area on the Chandpur-Cumilla regional highway.
The crash badly damaged the front of both vehicles and trapped several passengers inside the bus.
Local residents rushed to the scene and began rescue efforts before police and other responders joined them.
According to police and locals, a bus of Al-Arafa Paribahan was travelling from Noakhali to Jashore when it collided with the truck coming from the opposite direction.
The injured were taken to Shahrashti Upazila Health Complex.
Akleema Akter, health and family planning officer of the upazila, said 18 injured people had been brought to the facility.
“Three of them were in critical condition. After receiving primary treatment, they were referred to Cumilla Medical College Hospital,” she said.
The remaining injured were undergoing treatment at the health complex, she added.
Mir Mahbubur Rahman, officer-in-charge of Shahrashti Police Station, said three bodies had so far been recovered from the scene and at least 15 people were injured.
“Rescue operations are still underway. The death toll may rise if any of the injured succumb to their injuries,” he said.
The identities of the deceased and injured could not immediately be confirmed.
The crash caused some disruption to traffic on the Chandpur-Cumilla regional highway. Police were at the scene and rescue operations were continuing.
