At least 12 people were killed and 20 others injured early Sunday when a mail train ploughed into a bus at the Padua Bazar level crossing in Comilla, in one of the deadliest rail-road collisions in recent times, according to The Dhaka Tribune.

The tragedy unfolded around 3:00 a.m. on the busy Dhaka–Chittagong route when the Chittagong-bound train struck the Mamun Special bus as it attempted to cross the railway at the level crossing.

The impact was so brutal that the bus became entangled with the train’s engine and was dragged for nearly a kilometre before the train came to a halt, leaving the vehicle mangled and passengers trapped inside. Authorities at the scene confirmed that the deceased included seven men, three women, and two children.

Local police, led by Sub-Inspector Saiful Islam of the EPZ outpost under Comilla Sadar South Police Station, provided initial casualty figures. Rescue teams comprising members of the army, police forces, fire service, and the Red Crescent rushed to the scene shortly after the collision to assist in recovery efforts.

Rescuers and nearby residents worked to free the injured, who were promptly taken to Comilla Medical College Hospital for treatment. Three bodies were recovered at the crash site, while nine more victims later succumbed to their injuries at the hospital, officials said.

The accident halted train services on the critical Dhaka–Chittagong rail route, with rail movement suspended for nearly three hours as emergency teams cleared the wreckage and investigated the scene. The disruption caused delays and inconvenience for passengers and freight services that rely on one of Bangladesh’s busiest rail corridors.

Bangladesh’s rail and road safety record has periodically drawn attention after similar incidents, raising concerns over level crossing security and vehicle-train collision prevention measures. While authorities continue to assess what may have caused the bus to be on the tracks at the moment of impact, the latest crash has once again spotlighted safety challenges at railroad intersections across the country.

Further investigations are expected as officials work to determine responsibility and prevent such catastrophic accidents in the future.