At least 12 people died and up to 15 were injured after a passenger train struck a bus at a level crossing in Cumilla in the early hours of Sunday, police said.

The crash occurred around 2:45 am at the Paduar Bazar crossing on the Dhaka–Chattogram highway, according to Sub-Inspector Saiful Islam of the Cumilla EPZ outpost. Rescue workers recovered the dead and injured from the wreckage and took them to Cumilla Medical College Hospital.

The train involved, travelling from Chattogram to the capital, struck a bus operated by Mamun Special as it was crossing the tracks, police said. The bus had been travelling from Chuadanga to Lakshmipur. After the collision, the train dragged the vehicle about half a kilometre along the tracks.

The casualties were confirmed at the hospital. Ajay Bhowmik, a medical officer in the emergency department, said 12 individuals had been brought in dead, including one child and two to three women.

The toll could rise, according to Sub-Inspector Islam.

In response, railway authorities formed two separate investigation committees, each comprising six officials, according to Mostafizur Rahman, divisional manager of the railway’s Chattogram division.