Rescuers pulled the vehicle out of the canal in the evening
as they continued searching for survivors or bodies. Military troops joined the
rescue, and doctors from nearby towns were deployed to help the survivors.
About 60 people, mostly children between ages 8 and 12, were
on the vehicle that crashed, police official Iftekhar Hasan said.
The cargo truck had been hired to take the students home
after they watched the tournament, he said. Hiring such trucks is a usual
practice in Bangladesh for a quick group ride during festivals or celebrations.
"According to several witnesses the boys were singing
and dancing on board the truck," said Hasan. "The truck skidded off
the muddy road and turned (over) as it plunged into the canal." The crash
occurred in Chittagong district, 216 kilometers (136 miles) southeast of the
capital, Dhaka. The cause wasn't known, but one report said the driver was
talking on his phone and lost control while trying to give room for a vehicle
coming from the opposite direction.
By evening, rescuers recovered 44 bodies from the wreckage.
Hasan said at least 12 children were being treated at hospitals but could not
give an exact figure of the survivors.
It was not immediately clear if the driver of the vehicle
was among the dead. Local media said the driver was the only adult on board but
that was not immediately confirmed.
Residents from about 10 villages joined a funeral prayer
late Monday on the premises of a school in the area as authorities and
relatives prepared for the burials of many victims.
Earlier angry residents had vandalized some vehicles in the
area as they complained the rescuers were late to reach the scene. Video
footage showed some relatives of the dead wailing at their homes and in the
hospitals.
President Zillur Rahman and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina
condoled the deaths.
Road accidents are common in Bangladesh due to reckless
driving, lax traffic rules and poor road conditions.
