Passengers beaten inside bus in Gazaria: What led to attack

At least four passengers were injured after a group of people, including the driver of a Miami Aircon bus, allegedly attacked passengers inside a replacement bus in Gazaria, Munshiganj.

The incident took place at Bau­shia Pakhir Mor on the Dhaka-Chattogram highway around 4:45pm, after the passengers were transferred to another bus following an earlier road accident in Cumilla.

The injured passengers were identified as Sohel, 26, Siyas, 21, Hasina Akter, 45, and Nasima Begum, 48.

Several video clips of the attack have since gone viral on social media, drawing widespread criticism.

One of the videos shows a man boarding the bus and repeatedly striking passengers with what appears to be an iron rod.

Another clip shows four passengers, including two women, with bleeding head injuries as they plead for help.

According to an inquiry into the incident, a Miami Aircon bus travelling from Cumilla to Dhaka hit a motorcyclist in the Madhaiya area of Cumilla, seriously injuring him.

Following the accident, passengers forced the driver to stop the bus, leading to an altercation between them.

After the bus stopped, local people allegedly assaulted the driver, while police took the bus to a police station.

The transport company later sent another bus to take the stranded passengers to Dhaka.

The driver subsequently fled the scene and returned to his home in Gazaria, where he allegedly gathered several local people and waited at Baushia Pakhir Mor.

When the replacement bus carrying the passengers reached the area, the driver signalled it to stop.

He and his accomplices allegedly boarded the bus and attacked passengers who had earlier confronted him over the accident.

The passengers called the national emergency service 999, following which police from Gazaria Highway Police Station arrived at the scene and rescued the injured.

Four passengers were taken to Gazaria Upazila Health Complex, where three received primary treatment and were discharged, while Sohel, who was in critical condition, was referred to a hospital in Dhaka.

Passenger Safayet Hossain described the incident as "unprecedented" and demanded exemplary punishment for those responsible.

"A Miami Aircon driver stopped the bus in Gazaria and launched an armed attack on our fellow passengers. Four to five people were seriously injured," he said.

Gazaria Highway Police Station OC Shah Kamal Akand said the incident was "extremely unfortunate".

"We rushed to the scene as soon as we received the news, rescued the injured and sent them to Gazaria Upazila Health Complex," he said.

The police have asked the victims to file a written complaint, adding that the authorities are looking into the incident and will take action against those