Three people have died after a launch slammed into a bridge in Shariatpur's Gosairhat Upazila. A water tank on the roof of the vessel was knocked over during the collision and it landed on top of the passengers, crushing them to death.
Four others were injured in the incident which occurred on the river Jayanti in Kuchaipatti at around 4:00 am on Sunday, according to Md Aslam Sikder, chief of Gosairhat Police Station.
The dead passengers have been identified as Sagar Ali, 23, Shakil Ahmed, 25, and Tanzil, 23, reports bdnews24.com.
The launch named Swarnadwip Plus was en route to Damudya from Dhaka with around 250 passengers onboard when it struck the Saikkhya Bridge.
Two of the victims were killed instantly under the weight of the water tank, according to witnesses. The other man died in hospital. The injured passengers were rushed to Gosairhat Upazila Health Complex.
Meanwhile, police have arrested the launch's master, Md Nuruzzaman, and a crew member, Md Imran Hossain, in connection with the incident.
Passengers said the launch went too close to the bridge instead of taking the usual route past the structure. They blamed its driver's 'negligence' for the accident.
Abul Hossain, a passenger, woke up early for his morning prayers, but was taken aback by a loud thud. "I suddenly heard a strange noise. It was as if something had hit the bridge. I ran out and saw that the launch had collided with the bridge. Later, I went up and found the water tank had fallen over."
Informed of the matter, law enforcers rushed to the scene and found that the water tank had toppled over and burst, said Inspector Md Obaidul Haque of Gosairhat Police Station. "We rescued five people who were buried under the tank and took them to a hospital. Three of them died. Another has been sent to Dhaka."