An official of the Government of Bangladesh has issued a new directive regarding vessel boarding procedures in the days following an accident that left more than 20 people dead in the country's Rajbari District last week.
During a high-level meeting on Sunday, March 29, Minister of Road Transport and Bridges, Railways and Shipping Shaikh Rabiul Alam said that passengers of buses about to be loaded onto ferries will no longer be allowed to ride on buses as these are being driven onto the waiting vessels.
"From now on, buses must be completely empty before being taken onto ferries," Mr Alam said.
The directive was announced just three days after a bus carrying over 40 people reportedly lost control while attempting to board a vessel at the Daulatdia ferry terminal in Rajbari approximately 100 kilometres west of the country's capital Dhaka.
The bus plunged into the river and eventually settled to a depth of nine metres with the driver and passengers still trapped on board.
Of those who were on board, 26 are confirmed dead while an undetermined number were reportedly able to swim to safety.
Local officials have been working to determine whether any other passengers are still missing.
