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Tragic deaths in Turag

The bus of Baishakhi Paraibahan, packed with at least 50 passengers, lost control and fell into the river near Aminbazar Salehpur bridge at about 11:30am on Sunday.

With the latest recovery, the total death toll has risen to eight.

Soon after the bus had sunk on Sunday, eight people had made it to shore. But unfortunately, among them one, a third year university student, died on her way to hospital.

At about 12:30pm on Monday, rescuers were finally able to locate the bus, 25 hours after it had plunged into river Turag. Local MP Talukder Towhid Jang Murad, present on the spot, formally announced that the bus had been located.

Witnesses said the bus was located about 600 feet away from the Salehpur Bridge near Aminbazar.

The horrific story of a bus plunging into Turag off the Salehpur bridge in the city suburbs rakes up all the dreadful visuals of highway dangers waiting around the corner. The bus Baishakhi carrying some 50 passengers speeding in from Amin Bazar bridge alongside another vehicle attempting to overtake the latter, also in high speed, simply lost control a few steps ahead of Salehpur bridge nose-diving into 50-feet deep Turag river.

The ill-fated bus was clearly over-speeding and if one of its tires burst, its roadworthiness was suspect. On a close scrutiny, it is almost certain to be found out that the driver was not trained, or he had a fake license, or the transport itself did not carry a proper fitness certificate. There is an almost complete lack of supervision on the highways, although we have heard of highway patrol squads having been formed.

Not long ago, the High Court had ordered installation of speed governors on vehicles but it seems alternative sophisticated options of CCTV and speed camera is being toyed with. Let there be speed and load checks on the highways without further ado. Moreover, vulnerable bridges should be identified on the basis of recorded accidents near them and danger markers set...