At least 15 people were killed and eight more injured when a truck loaded with steel rods overturned on the Dhaka–Tangail highway near the eastern approach of the Jamuna Bridge, police said.

The crash occurred around 5 am on Monday in the Saratail area of Kalihathi sub-district. The vehicle, bound for northern Bangladesh from Dhaka, lost control and flipped on the highway, killing 15 at the scene.

Fuad Rohani, officer-in-charge of Jamuna Bridge East police station, confirmed the casualty figures. Rescuers from the police, fire service and local community pulled the injured from the wreckage and sent them to Tangail General Hospital.

Dr Sadiqur Rahman, deputy director of the hospital, said 15 bodies had been received and a further six people were admitted in a critical condition.