What was meant to be a holiday escape into the nature turned into a panic-stricken ordeal for dozens of visitors at Gazipur Safari Park yesterday, when a rickety bus broke down leaving them stranded in the middle of a wildlife enclosure with lions and tigers roaming around.
The park, located about 40 kilometers from Dhaka and often touted as a family-friendly getaway for city dwellers, promises an “African-style safari” experience. But beneath the marketing veneer lies a troubling tale of mismanagement and disregard for public safety.
In addition to Tk 50 entry tickets, visitors are charged Tk 150 for a short ride in old, ramshackle buses crisscross the enclosures of big cats. On Friday afternoon, one such ride went terribly wrong.
According to multiple visitors, the bus carrying more than 20 people began spewing black smoke midway through the wild zone before the engine gave out completely. An exciting safari experience turned into a nightmare of mismanagement and risk.
“We were made to wait for hours without clear communication, only to be put on a dangerously faulty vehicle that filled with toxic fumes and nearly caused an accident during a failed towing attempt,” one of the visitors, Shakera Sultana, said.
The driver, visibly panicked, instructed passengers to disembark into the very territory that houses lions and tigers. Some refused to leave, clinging to the hope that help would arrive before the situation escalated.
It did, but not smoothly. A park inspector, later identified as Raju, arrived with a motorcycle in an attempt to tow the broken bus by bringing a van with him. But no, instead of ensuring visitors safety, the inspector dismissed endangered visitors’ concerns and prioritized his personal guests.
Later, a towing van tried to rescue the bus but the chain snapped under pressure, compounding the chaos. What followed was a scene of utter confusion, children crying, adults shouting, and a growing sense that the park was woefully unprepared for emergencies while 3 kilometres away wild animal peaking.
Instead of facilitating a safe evacuation, inspector Raju ordered visitors to get back into the unfit bus.
Witnesses say his tone was aggressive and dismissive. “It’s shocking how an inspector provided a faulty bus for the wildlife tour, then blamed innocent tourists for insisting on it, as if families with kids would knowingly risk their lives. This kind of corruption puts everyone in danger,” said Mahzabin Hoque.
Several passengers protested, demanding safe transportation out of the danger zone. “After a lot of argument, under pressure inspector Raju sent a smaller replacement bus, leaving many, including women and children, standing; a clear case of mismanagement and disregard for safety,” said another tourist, Enabul Karim. “We just didn’t want to die.”
The incident raises critical concerns about safety protocols, vehicle maintenance, and staff training at one of Bangladesh’s most visited wildlife parks. Park authorities declined to comment directly, though a bus driver from another bus speaking on condition of anonymity admitted that the vehicles are “rarely maintained” and that drivers are “under pressure to keep trips going despite mechanical issues.”
The park, managed under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, has previously come under criticism for poor animal care and lack of transparency. But Friday’s scare shifts focus squarely onto human safety.
Times of Bangladesh reached out to the adviser of the ministry Syeda Rizwana Hasan, she responded via WhatsApp message. “Thanks for notifying me. I have forwarded your complaint to the CCF. He will make sure the car is serviced and that his staff is reprimanded if found guilty. Thank you for informing me. This will help improve our service”
For families who thought they were buying a momentary escape from the city’s grind, the experience left a different impression. “We came to show our kids lions, not to feel like we were being thrown to them,” said Shirin Akhter.
As Dhaka’s middle class increasingly seeks leisure destinations within reach of the capital, the incident at Gazipur Safari Park is a grim reminder, entertainment without safety is a disaster waiting to happen.