Bangladesh: bus crash leaves 19 dead and 20 injured

A traffic accident killed at least 19 people and injured 20 in Bangladesh. According to local police, a bus traveling above the speed limit crashed into a ditch when the driver lost control of the vehicle.

The bus came from the capital Dhaka and was heading to the southwestern city of Kulna. The accident took place in the Shibchar area of Madaripur district. Abu Nayeem Mofazzal Huq, the officer in charge of the Shibchar road police station, reported the accident.

Speeding is a possible cause of the accident in Bangladesh

It all happened at 8 a.m. (local time) when the vehicle crashed into a ditch. According to the lead officer, the accident occurred when the bus driver lost control of the bus while crossing the Padma Bridge in the Simana area. After losing control of the steering wheel, the bus plunged into a ditch, killing 14 people, including the driver.

The United News of Bangladesh news agency reported that died while being transferred to Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) from Madaripur. Hours later, three more people died of their injuries while receiving treatment at health centers in both Madaripur and Dhaka.

Five other travelers are still in the hospital recovering from their injuries, while the other 15 people have already been discharged. It is still not officially known what caused the incident that killed so many people. However, according to Infobae, traffic accidents are a frequent occurrence in the country: "Road accidents are common in Bangladesh due to poor enforcement of traffic laws, rough driving and speeding. Almost 8,000 people die every year in traffic accidents in Bangladesh."