Bus collides with train in Bangladesh, killing 12 people

People climb on top of a train as they leave Dhaka to celebrate Eid with their families, at a railway station in Gazipur, Bangladesh, March 18 2026. (Photo/Reuters)

A tragic collision between a train and a bus in the Comilla district of Bangladesh has resulted in 12 fatalities and 26 injuries, underscoring significant safety deficiencies within the nation's transportation infrastructure. The accident occurred when a bus attempted to cross the rail tracks at the Paduar Bazar crossing, which lacked functional signaling, leading to the bus being dragged for one kilometer. In response, local authorities have suspended two gatemen and initiated formal investigations. This incident serves as a grim reminder of the immense strain placed on Bangladesh's transport systems during peak travel seasons like the Eid holidays, following closely after another major rail derailment in the Bogra district.

Twelve confirmed fatalities, including two women and three children, with 26 others injured.
The collision occurred at the Paduar Bazar rail crossing, allegedly due to a lack of signaling.
Bangladesh Railway has launched two investigation committees and suspended two gatemen.
The accident highlights systemic vulnerabilities during peak Eid holiday travel congestion.

At least 12 people were killed and 26 others injured in a bus-train collision in the southeastern Comilla district early on Sunday, fire service officials and police said.

Those dead included two women and three children, Fire Service and Civil Defence Deputy Assistant Director (Comilla) Mohammad Idris told Anadolu, and 10 of the injured remain in hospitals.

A Dhaka-bound one-up train leaving port city Chittagong collided with a bus heading towards Chittagong from western Chapainawabganj district at the Paduar Bazar rail crossing area in Comilla city.

The train dragged the bus one kilometre away.

Idris said: "We believe that the accident occurred when the bus went onto the railway line due to the lack of a signal at the Padua Bazar rail crossing."

The Bangladesh Railway formed two investigation committees to probe the accident and suspended two gatemen of the rail crossings, according to local media reports.

Bangladesh usually sees a huge rush through train stations, buses, and launch terminals, particularly in Dhaka, as people leave for villages to spend Eid vacation with families and relatives, putting a strain on the fragile transportation systems.

On March 18, about 66 people were injured when the Nilsagar Express, a major northern Bengal route train, derailed in the Bogra district's Bagbaria area.

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Source: TRT