15 injured as JnU alumni bus plunges into pond in Patuakhali

At least 15 people were injured after a double-decker sleeper bus carrying former students of Jagannath University (JnU) fell into a roadside pond in Kalapara Patuakhali.

The accident took place around 7:30am in the Khalilpur area of the Kalapara-Kuakata highway on Friday morning (September 4), police and local sources said.

The bus, operated by Iconic Paribahan, had been hired by former students from Jagannath University’s 2001 and 2023 batches for a trip to Kuakata. It was travelling from Dhaka to Kuakata with around 20-25 passengers when the driver suddenly lost control in the Khalilpur area.

The bus veered off the highway and plunged into a shallow pond beside the road, injuring at least 15 passengers. All those injured were reportedly former Jagannath University students.

Fire Service personnel rushed to the scene after receiving the news and rescued the passengers. Six people who were seriously injured were taken to Kalapara Hospital for treatment.

Police later seized the bus, while the driver and helper remained missing after the accident. Police said they had reportedly fled the scene.

Nazrul Islam, officer-in-charge (OC) Kalapara Police Station, said, "The bus had been seized and efforts were underway to locate the driver and helper."

He said police were investigating the accident and would take legal action based on their findings.