Bangla bus accident, 50 feared dead

Dhaka, Jan 6 (UNI) At least 50 people were feared killed as a bus fell into a roadside ditch and caught fire in the country's eastern town of Comilla, about 120 kms from here, officials said.

Rescuers have so far recovered 14 bodies from the bus, travelling from Dhaka to southeastern Chittagong. The officials said some 60-70 people were travelling by the bus. Only 7-8 passengers could jump out of it when the bus driver lost control of his steering and fell into the ditch at about 1330hrs.

According to witnesses the bus swerved off the road and burst into fire while trying to overtake another bus, killing 14 passengers on the spot.

A senior official of the Comilla administration, on anonymity said the death toll might go up to 50 with salvage of the bus from the ditch.

Traffic police sources said there has been a heavy rush of passengers today as most of them were returning to work after celebrating Eid-ul-Adha at their homes.

Another reason of the rush is that the country's main opposition alliance lead by Khaleda Zia will enforce a road blockade on January 7-8 to resist the general elections scheduled for January 22, the official added.

UNI