A routine bus journey turned into a terrifying escape earlier today when a BRTC AC bus burst into flames right on the highway in Barishal.
The incident, which occurred near the Major MA Jalil Bridge around noon, saw the air-conditioned coach quickly transform into a scorched metal shell.
The swift thinking of the passengers was the only saving grace. They managed to scramble out immediately, ensuring that a potentially horrific disaster ended without a single injury.
While fire services successfully doused the massive blaze after thirty minutes—and police restored the hour-long traffic jam—the question of how it started remains.
One passenger, Rofiqul Islam, offered a frightening possibility: “Someone was smoking inside the moving bus. We think the fire started from that cigarette.” This suggests a serious breach of safety rules may have caused the entire vehicle to be destroyed.
The incident highlights a severe safety concern on public transport, turning a simple commute into a narrow brush with tragedy.
