Rajbari [Bangladesh], March 26 (ANI): 23 people are dead, and several were injured as a bus fell into the Padma River in Bangladesh, officials said.

Police Inspector, Russel Mollah, told ANI on Wednesday that the rescue operations were paused as it was night, and will resume in the daylight.

He said, 'We have recovered 23 dead bodies so far. There may be some still missing, and a few people survived. Since it is night, the rescue operation is somewhat paused, but a combined rescue operation is ongoing, with various forces--fire service, navy, police, and other groups--conducting the rescue. However, due to darkness, the operation is temporarily halted, but it will resume again in the daylight.'

A passenger bus fell into the Padma River from a ferry at around 5:00 pm, in front of ferry terminal number 3 in Daulatdia. The bus, carrying about 40 passengers, was travelling from Rajbari to Dhaka, which is 128 kilometres from Dhaka. At that time, the bus was on the ferry. The rescue teams from the fire service and divers are carrying out the rescue operations.

Witnesses said the bus was carrying at least 50 passengers after picking up travellers from various counters along the route. Rescue ship Hamza pulled the submerged bus out of the river six hours later, as per Dhaka Tribune.

Around 11:15 pm, part of the vehicle became visible, and by 11:30 pm, the entire bus was lifted using the ship's crane.

Tearful relatives gathered along the banks of the Padma at Daulatdia ferry terminal in Rajbari on Wednesday evening, clinging to hope as rescue teams searched for survivors after a passenger bus plunged into the river, as per Dhaka Tribune.

A survivor said he managed to swim ashore but watched his wife and child disappear beneath the water as the bus sank, as per Dhaka Tribune.

Abdul Azizul, who boarded the bus from Kalukhali Upazila in Rajbari, said he also survived by swimming to safety. His wife and child remained missing, the Dhaka Tribune reported. (ANI)