The accident happened at Mirersarai, 240 km southeast of the capital Dhaka, near the port of Chittagong. Survivors told reporters at the hospital that the children were in a happy mood, singing and dancing, when the bus crashed 50 feet into a flooded ditch.

The weather was cloudy after days of rain. Police and witnesses said that as many as 80 children between eight and 12 were on board. Local official Giasuddin Ahmed said 53 bodies had been recovered and 15 injured boys were taken to hospital, including 10 in critical condition.