Police have arrested the driver, assistant and supervisor of the bus that plunged into the Padma River after losing control while boarding a ferry at Daulatdia Ghat No 7 in Goalanda, Rajbari.
The three were presented before the Rajbari court on Saturday.
Earlier, on Friday night, Sub-Inspector Abujar Gifari of the Daulatdia River Police filed a case against them.
The arrestees have been identified as bus driver Jhontu Ali (48), supervisor Azmal Hossain (38), and helper Shakib Hossain (22).
The case also lists unidentified personnel from the ‘SB Super Deluxe’ bus authorities as accused. The FIR mentions property and passenger cargo damage amounting to approximately Tk3 lakh due to the ferry incident.
According to the River Police, the bus, carrying around 40 passengers from Gangni in Meherpur to Dhaka, arrived at Daulatdia Ferry Ghat No 7 at around 9:30 am on Friday. The passengers disembarked and headed to the ferry on foot. Immediately after, driver Jhontu Ali allegedly drove the bus recklessly.
The supervisor and helper jumped onto the ferry just before the bus went into the river. The driver, along with the bus, fell into the water but was rescued by the River Police and local residents. The bus was later salvaged at 11:55 am by the BIWTA rescue vessel Hamza and is now in the custody of the River Police.
Shafiqul Islam, Officer-in-Charge of Goalanda Ghat Police, said the three accused named in the FIR were handed over to court, and River Police have launched an investigation to determine the exact cause of the incident.
Goalanda Upazila Nirbahi Officer Sathi Das added that the passengers’ belongings recovered from the river were sorted and returned to their rightful owners.
