Dad recounts 'selfish' swim

ALAMGIR HOSSAIN AND SUBHASISH CHAUDHURI, TT Jan 29, 2018 : The bus ride that ended in the Ratnakar bil (lake) in Dualatabad on Monday will remain a ghastly memory for the handful of survivors as they returned from the jaws of death. Some lost near and dear ones who were travelling with them.

The Telegraph spoke to three survivors who had miraculously managed to escape through the windows and doors of the bus and then swum to safety.

Name: Bibhas Chandra Biswas, 42

Place: Darer Math (Nadia)

Occupation: Labourer

I still remember struggling to get myself out of the window with my left leg - which is very weak owing to an accident in 2016 - stuck inside. The bus was beginning to sink and I had very little time. And then, I guess it was the Almighty that gave me a bit of strength and I escaped through the window in the nick of time.

But alas, I lost my elder brother Bikash, 45, who was travelling with me. He could not make it.

It was because of my left leg that we were going to Behrampore to visit an orthopaedic surgeon. Bikash was sitting next to me. The bus was going at breakneck speed. But before I could realise anything, there was a heavy jolt and it seemed the bus had hit something. My head was injured.

Next I heard a commotion among the passengers and realised that the bus was falling. I tried to keep balance, holding onto the window pane. I realised the bus had fallen into deep water. The bus was fast filling up with water. I could not see co-passengers clearly as most of them were already under water. I could not see Bikash either. This is when I looked upward through the open window and tried to pull myself out.

After much difficulty, I came out through the window and jumped into the water. I was crying as I realised that my elder brother could not come out.

Two youths in a boat rushed in and rescued me. Police took me to a hospital.

Name: Divas Pramanik, 39

Place: Sundalpur (Nadia)

Occupation: Farmer

I have lost everything that I had in this world today - my wife and my son. I tried looking for them but I knew time was slipping away. And then in a moment, I was selfish and started swimming... We were on our way to a private clinic in Behrampore for a post-surgery review for my 10-year-old son Deb, whose left leg had been seriously injured in an accident a few months ago.

My wife Rumpa, 30, and elder brother Dinabandhu, 42, were with me. While the others were seated in middle of the bus, I had got a seat in the last row, close to the door.

I slipped off the seat when the bus apparently rammed into something heavy and the head rammed against the doorframe. I realised the bus was falling down. A chill ran down my spine when I found out it would fall into the lake. I was bleeding profusely from the nose. I suffered another injury to the head when the bus hit the river. I tried to raise myself.

There was suffocating darkness inside. Water was entering the bus fast. I tried to look for my son and wife.

But it was impossible to notice anyone inside. It was then that I saw daylight through a portion of the door still above the water. I became selfish and came out through the gate and started swimming.

Two boatmen rescued me. I asked them if they had rescued a boy and his mother. They replied in the negative. Police took me to a hospital, where I found my elder brother.

Name: Marjia Afreen, 27

Place: Hetompur/Domkal

Occupation: Nurse

I still cannot believe how I escaped unhurt from the fateful bus. I boarded it from Domkal to join duty in Behrampore. I got a seat just across the door. I was very scared as the bus was running at a very high speed. Even on the bridge, the bus didn't slow down.

And then came that frightful moment. The bus swerved left sharply, broke through the railing and started plunging downwards. I was thankfully conscious and realised what was happening. I had slipped off the seat. I remember holding onto the base of a seat after I fell off the seat. Fortunately, I saw that the door was open and could see the sky through.

Miraculously, I was unhurt. I was probably the first one to come out of the vehicle. I started swimming towards the bank. Some local people helped me get on the bank.

I was all dripping wet but the cellphone in my pocket was working. I promptly called my husband Saminul Islam and told him about the accident.

He rushed in a little later. It seems like a rebirth now.