15 killed as rod-laden truck overturns near Jamuna Bridge in Tangail
Synopsis
At least 15 people died after a truck carrying iron rods — and passengers seated dangerously atop them — overturned near the Jamuna Bridge in Tangail at 4:30 am on 25 May. The driver reportedly fell asleep at the wheel. It is the latest in a recurring pattern of deadly Eid-season road tragedies in Bangladesh.
Key Takeaways
At least 15 people were killed and several injured when a rod-laden truck overturned in Kalihati upazila, Tangail , on 25 May 2025 .
The accident occurred at approximately 4:30 am in the Saratail Dakshinpara area of the Dhaka-Tangail highway .
Victims were travelling atop iron rods on the truck, heading to northern districts for Eid .
The driver reportedly fell asleep at the wheel, according to the Bangladesh Bridge Authority .
Earlier in March , at least 40 people were killed in road accidents across 14 districts during the Eid holidays.
At least 15 people were killed and several others injured in Bangladesh after a truck loaded with iron rods overturned near the eastern end of the Jamuna Bridge in Kalihati upazila of Tangail district in the early hours of Monday, 25 May. The victims were travelling atop the iron rods stacked on the truck, heading to northern districts for the Eid holidays.
How the Accident Unfolded
According to Tangail Superintendent of Police Muhammad Shamsul Alan Sarkar, the accident occurred at approximately 4:30 am in the Saratail Dakshinpara area along the Dhaka-Tangail highway. The driver reportedly lost control of the vehicle, causing it to overturn into a roadside ditch. The passengers, who were seated atop the loaded rods, were trapped beneath them when the truck capsized.
Syed Riaz Uddin, executive engineer at the Jamuna Bridge site office of the Bangladesh Bridge Authority, said the accident was suspected to have occurred after the truck driver allegedly fell asleep at the wheel.
Rescue Operations and Road Disruption
Police and fire service personnel launched rescue operations at the scene following the incident. Elenga Highway Police Station Officer-in-Charge Md Sharif confirmed that the accident triggered significant traffic congestion on the highway during the rescue, though normal movement was eventually restored. The identities of those killed could not be immediately confirmed, according to Sarkar.
A Pattern of Eid-Season Road Tragedies
This incident is the latest in a grim pattern of road fatalities that recur during major holidays in Bangladesh. Earlier in March, local media reported that at least 40 people were killed and 69 others injured in road accidents across 14 districts during the Eid holidays. Separately, at least 12 people lost their lives and 18 were injured when a Chattogram-Dhaka mail train collided with a bus at a level crossing in Sadar Dakshin upazila of Cumilla district. In that incident, the bus was reportedly dragged by the train for nearly a kilometre, and two gatemen were subsequently suspended for negligence after no gateman was found on duty at the crossing.
What Comes Next
Authorities are continuing to identify the deceased and assess the full scale of injuries. The recurrence of such accidents during holiday travel seasons has renewed calls for stricter enforcement of passenger transport regulations in Bangladesh, particularly around the illegal practice of travelling atop cargo vehicles.
Point of View
Yet enforcement collapses precisely during high-demand holiday periods when transport supply cannot meet demand. The Eid season death toll, already at 40 in March, now rises further. Until Bangladesh couples stricter holiday-season enforcement with meaningful expansion of passenger transport capacity, these numbers will keep repeating. The suspension of gatemen after the Cumilla train crash and the absence of accountability in this latest case suggest that reactive punishment, not systemic reform, remains the default response.
NationPress
9 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened in the Tangail truck accident on 25 May 2025?
A truck loaded with iron rods overturned near the eastern end of the Jamuna Bridge in Kalihati upazila, Tangail district, killing at least 15 people. The victims were travelling atop the iron rods on the truck when the driver reportedly lost control and the vehicle toppled into a roadside ditch.
Why were passengers travelling on top of a cargo truck?
The passengers were reportedly travelling atop the iron rods loaded on the truck as they headed to northern districts for the Eid holidays, a practice that is both illegal and common during peak travel seasons in Bangladesh when passenger transport is in short supply.
What caused the truck to overturn?
According to Syed Riaz Uddin, executive engineer at the Bangladesh Bridge Authority's Jamuna Bridge site office, the accident was suspected to have occurred after the truck driver fell asleep while driving, causing him to lose control in the Saratail Dakshinpara area.
How many people have died in road accidents in Bangladesh during recent Eid seasons?
Earlier in March 2025, at least 40 people were killed and 69 injured in road accidents across 14 districts during the Eid holidays. The 25 May Tangail accident adds at least 15 more fatalities to Bangladesh's Eid-season road toll.
What is the status of the rescue operation?
Police and fire service personnel conducted rescue operations at the scene. Traffic congestion on the Dhaka-Tangail highway was caused during the operation but was later restored to normal. The identities of the deceased had not been immediately confirmed, according to the Tangail Superintendent of Police.
