COMILLA, Jan 6: At least 41 people were burned to death on Saturday after fire engulfed a bus packed with migrant workers in Bangladesh, police said. The bus, whose passengers were travelling back to the country's second city Chittagong following last week's Eid holidays, burst into flames near the eastern town of Comilla after a gas cylinder exploded.

Abdur Rashid, assistant director of Comilla fire brigade, said they had completed their search of the bus and found 41 dead bodies.

Eight people suffered burns and were being treated in hospital. “Most of the dead bodies were beyond recognition,” he said.

Survivor Jyotsna Akhter, 19, a garment worker, fled for her life as flames swept through the bus within seconds of the explosion killing her mother, brother and sister.

“First there was a loud explosion and then I saw flames in the bus,” she said, breaking down in tears.

“As soon as the bus caught fire, it turned over and all of a sudden there was fire everywhere. I was sitting at the front by the door so I jumped from my seat and got out,” she said.—AFP