Five people were killed and 15 others injured as a bus plunged into a roadside ditch on Dhaka-Chattogram Highway in Cumilla's Chauddagram upazila on Friday morning.

Among the deceased, two were identified as Mohammad Hossain, 30, hailed from Cox's Bazar district and Badrul Hasan Riyad, 26, a resident of Chattogram district. The identities of the others could not be known immediately.

The sleeper bus of ‘Relax Paribahan’ carrying several passengers was heading towards Cox’s Bazar from Dhaka, said Md Gias Uddin, in-charge of Chauddagram highway police outpost.

The bus lost control on the highway before it plunged into the roadside ditch, he said.

Five people died on the spot and 15 others sustained severe injuries, the police officer said, adding that the injured were taken to Chauddagram Upazila Health Complex after members of highway police and Fire Service and Civil Defence rescued them.