Road crashes kill 22, dozens injured on Eid day

At least 22 people have been killed and dozens injured in road crashes across Bangladesh on Wednesday, the day people across the country celebrate the holy Eid-al-Fitr, the greatest festival of Muslims. 

The deadly accidents took place at a time when the transport sector saw a rush on all modes of travel nationwide, centring the Eid-ul-Fitr holidays.

In Faridpur, at least six people have been killed and 20 others injured in a road accident in the Dhuldi area under the sadar upazila of the district.

The identities of the deceased could not be ascertained yet.

The accident occurred when a Satkhira-bound night coach of AK Travels rammed into a roadside tree on the Dhaka-Khulna highway around 7:30am on Wednesday, killing four on the spot.

Kotwali police station Officer-in-Charge (OC) AFM Nasim told that the bodies have been handed over to the highway police.

Karimpur highway police outpost in-charge Sub-Inspector (SI) Joynal Islam said the accident took place because of reckless driving.

The injured have been admitted to Faridpur Medical College Hospital.

In Savar, two were killed in separate road accidents including a policeman, who was killed after being hit by a pick-up van on Wednesday morning.

Three policemen were also injured in the accident which occurred on the Dhaka-Tangail highway’s DEPZ area, confirmed Ashulia police station SI Bijon Kumar Das.

The deceased Nadim Hossain, 25, of Naogaon district, was deployed as constable of Dhaka Industrial Police 1, in the Ashulia Business district.

Police and eyewitnesses said that four policemen were heading to their Sreepur office on board an auto-rickshaw after completing an overnight shift when a Dhaka-bound pick-up van ran over the auto-rickshaw.

In a separate incident, a car driver was killed when a bus collided with his car in Dhamrai.

The deceased is Bandu Molla, 40, of Nabinagar area of Ashulia, said Golra Highway police station OC Lutfur Rahman.

In Jhenaidah, two young men were killed in a motorcycle accident in the district’s Moheshpur area on Wednesday morning.

The deceased were identified as Bipul, 12, and Rana, 24, confirmed Moheshpur police station OC Rashedul Islam.

He said that the deadly motor-bike crash occurred in the upazila’s  khod Khalishpur neighborhood.  

Rashedul said: “Bipul of the Kotchandpur upazilla and Rana from the Jibon Nagar upazila were traveling through a remote village of the Moheshpur area riding a motorbike. The accident occurred when the motorbike veered off the road and crashed into a roadside tree.”

Locals rescued the critically injured and took them to the Kotchandpur Hospital where the on duty doctor declared them dead.

In Narsingdi, three people have been killed and 10 others injured in two separate accidents on the Dhaka-Sylhet highway.

Two of the deceased were identified as Mamun and Abdur Razzak.

Madhobi police station OC Abu Taher Dewan, and Itkhola highway police outpost in-charge Hafizur Rahman confirmed the matter.

Locals and police sources said a Brahmanbaria-bound bus coming from Dhaka lost control and collided head-on with a local bus, killing Mamun on the spot. Abdur Razzak died after being taken to a local hospital. Seven people were also injured in the accident.

Another yet to be identified person was killed when a microbus and Sylhet-bound bus from Dhaka were involved in a collision. Three others were also injured in the accident.

In Tangail, two people have been killed, and seven injured in a road accident on the Bangabandhu Bridge highway.

Locals and police sources said a pick-up van, while overtaking a motorcycle, collided head-on with Dhaka-bound bus, killing one on the spot.

Eight injured passengers were taken to Tangail General Hospital, where upon arrival, another was declared dead.

In Gazipur, a motorcyclist was killed while trying to avoid running over a goat on the Sreepur-Satkhamai Highway. Eight others were also injured in four other motorcycles.

The deceased has been identified as Sajib Hossain, 24, of Sreepur upazila of the district.

Sreepur police station SI Jibon Kumar Sharma said that since no complaint was filed, Sajib’s body was handed over to his family without an autopsy.

In Lalmonirhat, four people were killed —and 20 others injured— when a pick-up truck ploughed into the Shaheed Minar beside the road in Kurigram.

The deceased are Hafizur Rahman, 25, of Nageshwari upazila, Ashraful Alam, 28, of Tajhat Shikhpara of Rangpur, Abdul Aziz, 60, of Kurigram’s Sadar upazila, and Faruk Hossain, 26.

The accident occurred on the Kurigram-Rangpur road near Shimultala Bazar in Borobari Union in Sadar Upazila at 6.30 am on Wednesday.

The victims used the pick-up to head home to Kurigram from Rangpur to celebrate the Eid, said locals.

In Pirojpur, two motorcyclists were killed —and one passenger injured— after a head on collision at Baleshwar Bridge of Pirojpur-Bagerhat road.

The deceased are Sohan Sardar, 25, and Swapon Saha of Sadar upazila.

According to a recent study published by the National Committee to Protect Shipping, Roads and Railways (NCPSRR), a total of 1,890 people have been killed in 1,792 road accidents across the country in last five months since January to May this year.

Besides, 3,543 people have been injured during those road accidents, the study said citing reckless driving as one of the major causes of the fatal crashes.  

Kamruzzaman