Staff Correspondent

Two separate investigation committees have been formed by the Ministry of Shipping and the Rajbari District Administration to look into the accident where a passenger bus plunged into the Padma River at the Daulatdia ferry ghat.

State Minister for Shipping, Md. Rajiv Ahsan, MP, made the announcement on Friday while inspecting the accident site at Daulatdia Ferry Ghat No. 7 on Friday afternoon.

The State Minister emphasized that a major loss of life was completely averted due to the coordinated emergency responses, structural preparedness, and strict enforcement of passenger safety guidelines managed under the overarching supervision of the Ministry of Shipping.

While describing the sequence of the accident, the State Minister noted that the bus did not board its designated ferry. Instead, it moved at a high speed, struck the ramp of an adjacent stationary ferry, broke through the safety barrier, and tumbled directly into the river. He stated that the ministry has constituted an inquiry committee from their level, while local administrative bodies, police forces, and port authorities will jointly investigate whether there was any institutional mismanagement or operational lapse on the ground. However, he noted that from their initial observations, no major systemic irregularity has caught their attention so far.

Expressing his profound gratitude to the Prime Minister, Rajiv Ahsan stated that the nationwide safety mandate of emptying vehicles before ferry boarding—originally initiated under direct prime ministerial intervention—was the sole reason hundreds of commuters escaped a fatal disaster today. He acknowledged that forcing passengers, including the elderly, children, and ailing citizens, to exit vehicles before boarding can sometimes be a challenging task for field staff. However, he maintained that the ministry has been trying to ensure 100% compliance with this safety protocol across all river ports. Today's incident stands as absolute proof that enforcement of this safety rule can successfully save lives during unexpected transport mishaps, setting a standard of safety mobilization unprecedented in the country's past transit history.

Detailed testimonies will be collected from the driver and the helper as soon as they are medically cleared and fit to speak. Senior officials from the Ministry of Shipping, BIWTC, BIWTA, Rajbari district and upazila administrations, district police, and the Naval Police were also present during the high-level site inspection.