Bagerhat: At least three people were killed and 15 others injured when a bus overturned after hitting a roadside tree on Khulna-Mongla highway at Sonatunia in Rampal upazila early Thursday.

Two of the deceased were identified as Kamrul, 25, son of Sarwar Hossain of Mongla upazila and Ferdous, 42, son of Abu Taher of Telikhali village in Rampal upazila while the identity of the other could not be known yet, reports the UNB.

Moloy Roy, officer-in-charge of Katakhali highway police, said the accident took place around 3:30 am when a Mongla-bound bus of ‘Arafat Paribahan’ from Dhaka hit a roadside tree as the driver lost his control over steering and turned turtle, leaving two dead on the spot and 16 others injured.

The injured were taken to a local hospital where the doctors declared one dead.

Meanwhile, the traffic movement on the busy highway remained suspended for about five hours following the incident.