A Correspondent:
Barguna: At least nine people were killed and several others injured when a microbus, carrying a bridal party, plunged into a river after a bridge collapsed in Amtali upazila in the district yesterday.
The deceased were identified as Rubia, 45, wife of Rakibul Howladar, Raiti Khan, 22, wife of Sohail Khan, Fatema, 35, wife of Babul Matbar, Shahnaz Akhtar, 37, wife of Abul Kalam, and her two daugh-ters Tahiyat Mejbin, 7, and Tasfia Mubassera, 12, Farida Begum,48, wife of Fazlur Rahman Khan, resi-dents of Kokararchar village of Shibchar upazila in Madaripur district, Zakia, 35 , wife of Zahirul Islam and her daughter Rukaid Islam, 5, resident of Taktabunia village of Amtali Upazila Haldia Union in Barguna district.
The accident occurred after collapsing a wooden connecting bridge between Chawra Union and Haldia Union when they were going to attend a wedding ceremony in Amtali Municipal Town on a microbus aound 2:30 pm yesterday afternoon into the Subandhi River, leaving at least 20 people injured, officer-in-charge (OC) of Amtali Police Station Kazi Tofazzal Hossain Tapu said.
Later, fire service and police personnel rescued the injured and took them to Amtali Upazila Health Complex where on-duty doctor declared nine of them dead, he said.
Golam Sarwar Tuku, MP of Barguna-1 constituency and Deputy Commissioner Rafiqul Islam visited the spot.
The bodies will be handed over to theirs family members after legal process, The OC added.