Jhenidah, Bangladesh (BBN)– At least 11 people were killed and more than 50 were injured as a train hit a bus carrying a wedding party while it was crossing the rail lines in the country’s southwestern Jhenidah district early Friday, police said.

Khulna-bound ‘Simanto Express’ train from Jessore rammed the bus carrying a wedding party when it was passing Barobazar level crossing around 3:45 am (local time), leaving nine passengers of the bus dead on the spot, a local government official confirmed.

One of the injured passengers died at Kaliganj upazila health complex, he added.

The bus was carrying a wedding party from Shailkupa upazila (sub-district) to Shako village in Kaliganj upazila. The bride and bridegroom were safe as they were travelling by a microbus.

Rail communication on the Khulna-Dhaka and other routes, which were suspended for at least seven hours following the accident, resumed at about 11:00am as a salvage train from Khulna rushed to the spot and rescued the train, a railway official said.

Barobazar station master Turki Ahmed and its gateman Humayan Kabir were suspended instantly. Later, they were detained by police for negligence of duties and responsibilities, Shafiqul Islam, District Commissioner of Jhenidah, said.

He also said a three-member probe body has been formed, headed by Additional District Commissioner Nasrin Jahan. The probe body has been asked to submit its report within the next three-days.

 

BBN/SSR/AD-01Aug14-12:50 pm (BST)