Home ›› 20 Mar 2023 ›› Front
At least 19 people were killed and 25 others injured after a bus smashed through Dhaka-Mawa-Bhanga Expressway fence and plunged into a roadside ditch at Kutubpur in Madaripur’s Shibchar upazila on Sunday morning.
“The incident occurred around 8am when the driver of Dhaka-bound bus Emad Paribahan lost control and hit the railing of the expressway, sending the bus tumbling 30 feet into the ditch, leaving 14 people including the driver dead on the spot,” Shibchar highway police station Officer-In-Charge Abu Nayeem Md Mofazzal Huq said.
“Due to reckless speed and mechanical fault of bus maybe the reasons behind accident,” he added.
“The death toll has risen to 19. At least 12 people were critically injured. They have been sent to Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) in the capital,” Madaripur Superintendent of Police (SP) Masud Alam said.
“Two of the injured died on the way to DMCH from Madaripur,” said DMCH police outpost In-Charge Md Bachhu Miah. “The bodies have been kept at DMCH morgue for post-mortem.”
“Eight of the dead have been identified so far,” Abu Naeem Md Mofazzel Haque confirmed the matter.
The eight deceased identified as Mostak Ahmed, 40, Sweety Akhter, 25, Ismail Hossain, 55, Hemayet Hossain, 30, Farhad Shikder, 40, Sameer Sheikh, 20, Kadir Sheikh, 40 and Anathi Nath Mandal, 25.
Three firefighting units were carrying out rescue work, accompanied by locals, said Fire Service and Civil Defence Officer Lima Khanam.
Among the injured seven were identified as Faisal Ahmed, 36, Abdul Hamim, 50, Badruddoza, 30, Pankaj Kantiz Ghosh, 40, Jhuma, 34, Bulbul, 50 and Enamul, 40.
Probe committee formed
Madaripur district administration formed a 4-member committee led by the Additional Magistrate Pallab Kumar Hazra which has been asked to submit the report within two working days, Madaripur Deputy Commissioner Rahima Khaton told the media.
Other committee members include an additional superintendent of police and representatives of Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) and Accident Research Institute.
The local administration also announced financial assistance of Tk 25,000 each of the families of the deceased.
According to the Bangladeshi passengers’ welfare association, a record 9,951 people were killed in road accidents in Bangladesh last year.
