Our Correspondent :
At least nine people have been killed and four others injured when a rice-laden human-hauler plunged into a roadside ditch in Shibganj upazila of Chapainawabganj district.
The accident occurred at Sonamasjid Barek Bazar area around 5:40am on Thursday.
The deceased were identified as Babu, son of M Erfan Ali, Tajemul Haque, son of Sheikh Mohammad, Tajemul’s son Mithun, Mohammad Karim, son of Kabil Uddin, Milu, son of Amanul, and Abul Quashem, son of late Nawshad Ali of Balidighi village, Ataur Rahman, son of Reman, Ahad Ali son of Azimul Haque of Lawghat village, and Masud Rana, the driver of the trolley hailing from Sonapur village in the upazila.
Shibganj police station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Farid Hossain confirmed the matter and said the injured were initially sent to the Shibganj Upazila Health Complex before being referred to Rajshahi Medical College Hospital.
“All the deceased, farmland labourers from Baliadighi in Shibganj upazila, were heading home with their harvest riding on the sacks of paddy. They got buried under the heavy sacks when the rice-laden vehicle plunged into the ditch,” he added.
The trolley swerved sharply to avoid another vehicle coming from the opposite direction and ultimately fell into the ditch, he said quoting witnesses.
Seven people died on the spot as they got entombed under the trolley and paddy sacks while five others suffered injuries.
Two of the injured died while undergoing treatment, Superintendent of Police of the district AHM Abdur Rakib said, adding that there were 12 inmates at the trolley.
Being informed, firefighters and police rushed to the spot and recovered the bodies.
