A Jagannath University (JnU) staff bus was severely damaged after a large tree was uprooted during heavy rainfall in the capital on Sunday morning.
The vehicle was completely crushed, but no casualties were reported as no passengers or drivers were inside the bus at the time of the incident.
The incident occurred around 10:30am in front of the university’s Central Shaheed Minar, where the bus had been parked.
According to university sources, the bus was used to transport officers and employees on the Mirpur-10, Mirpur-11 and Mirpur-12 routes. JnU Proctor Professor Mohammad Nasir Uddin said the tree fell due to continuous rainfall.
“The Fire Service has been informed to remove the uprooted tree from the spot,” he said, adding that the university was fortunate to have avoided any injuries.
Regarding the safety of other trees on the campus, the proctor said many trees remained vulnerable due to soil-related issues.
He explained that several trees had not developed strong root support because of insufficient soil depth, adding that simply adding topsoil was not enough to provide stability for large trees.
On future preventive measures, Prof Nasir said official permission was required before removing any tree.
However, he said the university authorities would assess risky trees after the rainy season and take necessary steps, including trimming branches, to reduce potential hazards for students and staff.
