Online Desk: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday expressed deep shock and sorrow at the death of 24 people in a bus accident at the Abha district of Asir Province in Saudi Arabia. In a condolence message, the Prime Minister prayed for eternal peace of the departed souls and expressed deep sympathy to the bereaved families.

The Prime Minister also instructed the foreign minister and mission officials to look into the treatment of injured Bangladeshis. A horrific bus crash killed around 24 people and injured around 23 people in the Abha district of Asir Province, the southwestern region of Saudi Arabia on Monday, according to Bangladesh Consulate General, Jeddah in Saudi Arabia.

The accident occurred at about 4.00 pm at Agabat Shaar, where reportedly, many of the passengers were Bangladeshis. The bus was carrying pilgrims to the holy city of Makkah.

A bus of Ruba Al Hijaz Transport Company with passengers from different countries, including Bangladeshis living in Abha district, left for Makkah in the early evening. According to the preliminary report, due to the malfunction of the brake system, the bus lost control and collided with a car, rolled over, and caught fire.

The passengers could not get off the bus, leaving as many as 24 passengers dead on the spot, which is around 650 km away from Jeddah. Local hospital authorities informed the Consulate representative that the situation is difficult for them to determine the nationalities due to the burning and disfiguring of the bodies. So, it is yet to confirm the exact number of Bangladeshis who died in the accident.