S M Mizanur Rahman :A deadly road crash at Koidhubi under Bhanga upazila on Dhaka-Barisal highway in Faridpur district left at least 25 people killed and 27 others injured shortly after Thursday midnight.According to injured passengers, locals and police, the deadly crash took place as the driver lost control over the steering of a Kalapara-bound (under Patuakhali district) passenger bus named ‘Sonar Tori Paribahan’ from Dhaka and it skidded off the road and dashed against a roadside tree, killing 22 passengers on the spot while three others succumbed to their injuries at Faridpur Medical College Hospital (FMCH). The injured passengers were admitted to FMCH and Bhanga upazila health complex, police said. The deceased were identified as Aklima Aktar, Asma, Amena, Helal, Shahin and Rezaul of Patuakhali, Shafiqul of Muksudpur under Gopalganj district, Afzal Mia and Surjya Begum of Barisal, Manirul Islam of Jessore and Hasna Begum of Pirojpur.The victims also include Sohag 30, Suman, 24, Ratan, 29, Hasna, 45, and Mahmudul Hassan, 35, of Patuakhali, Shariful of Gopalganj, Jalil, 34, of Jhalakathi, Abu Bakar, 22, Barek Howlader, 55, Rabeya Begum, 70, and her son Tutul Halder, 45, of Borguna, Shahriar Ahmed Joy, 18, of Barisal, Nazma Begum, 30, of Savar in Dhaka, Mobarak Hossain, 32, and Barek Halder. “It was indeed a nightmare. When I woke up from the sleep following the impact of thunderous sound and severe jerk I found myself clinging to my sit while many injured others were groaning on the floor of the bus,” a survivor narrated the horror to the journalists. The survivors alleged that as the bus carrying about 56 passengers was running fast, the driver lost control over the steering and it rammed into the roadside tree. Earlier, the Kalapara-bound bus left Gabtali inter-district bus terminal in the capital at about 9:00 pm on Wednesday, they said. “We all passengers were panicked as the bus was running at a very high speed. We had repeatedly requested the driver to run slow but he did not responded to our request rather increased the speed,” Rubina Khatun, now under treatment at Bhanga Health Complex told journalist there. She said that it made a huge sound when the bus crashed into the roadside tree. “The middle of the bus remained hanging in the tree.” However, Jakir Hossain, driver and Mintu Khan, helper now under treatment at Barisal Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital said that as a gang of robbers in the guise of passengers took control over the steering at gun point the bus rammed into the roadside tree. “Some 24 bodies have been identified. And the bodies were handed over to their respective relatives,” Deputy Commissioner of Faridpur Sardar Sharafat Ali told The New Nation on Thursday. The DC said that the middle portion of the bus hit the tree and it was almost hanging with the tree.”It’s the most dangerous bus accident I ever see,” Sharafat said, adding that a five-member probe body has been formed to investigate the accident and the committee has been asked to submit its report within seven days.”We have already distributed Tk 10,000 to the each of the deceased family. And the district administration is bearing the cost of medicines for the injured admitted in the hospitals,” he said. “Bhanga highway police and Fire service personnel have already completed the rescue operation,” he said.The DC said that few relatives of the dead and injured have been contacted through the cell phones of the passengers. Twelve ambulances have been engaged in transporting the passengers.Mujibur Rahman Chowdhury Nixon, MP, of Faridpur-4, Deputy Inspector General of Police (Highway) Mollik Fakhrul Islam, Additional DIG of Police Dhaka range Khondoker Golam Faruk, DC of Faridpur Sardar Sharafat Ali and Police Super of Faridpur Md. Jamil Hassan visited the spot. Our Barisal Correspondent adds: The driver and helper, now under treatment at Surgery unit of Barisal Shar-e-Bangla Medical College, blamed the attack of dacoits for this fatal bus accident which caused deaths of at least 25 passengers till this report. When the dacoits tried to run away with the vehicle it collided with the roadside tree, the bus crew claimed.They said that they became unconscious after the accident. After gaining sense they succeeded to avail a Barisal bound transport giving their identities as road transport workers. After reaching Barisal, they get admitted to the hospital.An attending physician of the hospital said that their injuries are minor and they are out of danger.Shakhawat Hossain, Barisal Kotwali Police Station Officer-in-Charge, said as no case was lodged till writing of this report against the driver and helper, they have not been arrested. But law enforcing agencies are keep watch on them and their movements.
