At least 12 people were killed and eight injured when a bus collided with a train in Joypurhat Sadar upazila today.

A passenger bus of Bandhan Paribahan collided with a Rajshahi-bound Uttara Express train from Parbatipur at Puranapoil rail crossing this morning, according to witnesses.

Joypurhat Deputy Commissioner Shariful Islam said bodies of 10 people were recovered from the spot. Besides, six people were rescued and taken to Joypurhat Sadar Hospital, he said.

Two of the injured succumbed to injuries at Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Medical College Hospital in Bogura, AKM Alamgir Jahan, officer-in-charge of Joypurhat Sadar Police Station, confirmed to The Daily Star.

The identities of the victims could not be learnt immediately.

The bus was going to Panchbibi from Joypurhat.

The rail crossing was open at the time of the accident, witnesses said.

Rail communication with northern districts of the country has been cut off since the accident, reports our Dinajpur correspondent.

Sirajul Islam, warehouse inspector of Joypurhat Fire Station, said the bus was heavily damaged and was still on the rail track.

"We need cranes to lift the bus. Two cranes are being taken to the spot from Pabna and Dinajpur. It may take one and a half hours more to reach the spot," he said.

Such collisions at the level crossing are common in the country, with poor safety standard, unmanned level crossings, and negligence of staffers at the manned level crossings being key factors, fire officials said.

"We, in our primary investigation, found that the level crossing was open and the on-duty line man was absent, causing the accident," said OC AKM Alamgir Jahan.

PROBE BODY FORMED

Bangladesh Railway has formed a three-member committee to investigate the accident with Abdur Rahim, divisional engineer-2 (Pakshey), as convener, said Railway Divisional Manager of Pakshey, Shahidul Islam.

Two other members are Ashish Kumar Mandal, divisional mechanical engineer locomotive, and Nasiruddin, divisional transportation officer (Pakshey).

The committee was asked to submit their report as soon as possible, Sardar Sahadat Ali, additional director general (operations) of BR, told The Daily Star.

"Puranapoil is an authorised and manned level crossing. The probe will determine who is or are responsible for the incident," Sahadat Ali said.

Top officials of BR and Railways Ministry including its secretary Salim Reza are on the way to the accident site, Shariful Alam, senior information officer of Railways Ministry, said.