Staff Reporter :
At least 43 people were killed and more than 150 others injured in separate road accidents in a single day across the country as the Eid holidaymakers were returning to their respective destinations on Saturday.
Of the victims, 18 passengers were killed and 30 others wounded when a Thakurgaon-bound speedy bus fell into a ditch on Bogura-Rangpur highway in Palashbari upizila of Gaibandha district at 5:00am by knocking a road-side tree following the driver’s drowsiness due to reportedly over work.
Six persons were also killed and 20 others injured in Rangpur as a sand-loaded truck rammed into a parking signal-less double-decker BRTC bus on Dhaka-Thakurgaon highway.
Four passengers were also killed in Savar of Dhaka district yesterday.
Besides, two each were reportedly killed in Natore, Gopalganj, Sirajganj, Faridpur, Laxmipur and Noagaoan districts and one each in Tangail and Narsingdi districts, reports our local correspondents.
In Gaibandha, nine persons died on the spot and remaining victims succumbed to their injuries on their way to hospital, police said.
Police could not identify the deceased till writing of this report.
The bodies were taken to Gobindaganj Highway Police Station, said Akhteruzzaman, Officer-in-Charge (OC) of the police station.
The injured persons were first taken to Palashbari Health Complex and later, people in critical condition were shifted to Rangpur Medical College Hospital, he said.
Quoting passengers, police said, a Thakurgaon-bound Alam Enterprise from Dhaka fell into a ditch after hitting a roadside tree on Dhaka-Thakurgaon highway at Moheshpur in the upazila around 5:00am.
The driver of the coach fell asleep, the OC said, citing allegations of several passengers.
In Rangpur, at least six people were killed and five more were injured as a sand-loaded truck rammed into double-decker BRTC bus in the early hours today.
Identities of the deceased are yet to be confirmed, our Rangpur correspondent reports quoting Abdullah Hel Baki, In-charge of Taraganj Highway Police Post in Rangpur.
The injured were rushed to Rangpur Medical College Hospital.
In Savar, four persons were killed and 23 others injured when a Druti Paribahan bus from Rangpur hit a truck on Dhaka-Aricha highway at Aminbazar on the outskirts of the capital yesterday morning.
The incident occurred as the driver of the bus lost control and hit the truck from behind. The injured were rushed to several hospitals in Dhaka, reports our Savar correspondent quoting Moshinul Kadir, Officer-in-Charge of Savar Model Police Station.
In Sirajganj, at least two people were killed and 15 others injured following head-on collision between a truck and a bus on Dhaka-Bogura highway at Voyagati area under Raiganj upazila around 5:30am, reports our correspondent quoting Abdul Quader Zilani, OC of Hatikumrul Highway Police Station.
The deceased were indentified as truck driver Sharif Fakir, 35, son of Jasim Uddin of Shamray village under Raiganj upazila, and helper Rafiqul Islam, 30, son of Dhuku Miya of the same village, the OC added.
In Natore, two people were killed and three others injured when a sand-laden truck hit an easy-bike in Alaipur area of the district town around 7:00am, said Mohiuddin, Station Officer of Natore Fire Service.
The deceased were identified as Sulta Rani Debnath and KanailalDebnath, residents of Sonapatil village of Naldanga upazila.
In Gopalganj, two motorcyclists were killed as a bus hit their vehicle after the bus driver lost control over the wheel on Gopalganj-Tungipara road in Ghonapara area of Sadarupazila around 7:45am, said Sub-Inspector Shawkat of the Sadar Police Station.
In Faridpur, two persons were killed and 20 others injured as a bus plunged into a roadside ditch on Dhaka-Barishal highway in Purba Sadardi area of Bhanga upazila around 9:00am, said senior station officer Saifuzzaman of Faridpur Fire Service.
In Laxmipur, a man and a woman were killed and another woman was injured following a collision between a truck and CNG-run auto rickshaw on Ramgati-Sonapur road in Sekherkillah area of Ramgati upazila early in the morning, said ATM Arisul Haque, officer-in-charge of Ramgati Police Station. The deceased were identified as Milon Hossain and Sahara Khatun.
In Naogaon, two motorcyclists were killed when a truck hit a van in Sapahar upazila in the morning.
The deceased were identified as Salam Mia, 34, and Bepari Mia, 40, reports our local correspondent quoting police. In Tangail, a motorcyclist was killed when a truck hit him on Shukhipur-Gopalpur road at Taildha Batar more. The deceased was identified as Abdul Baset alias Babu, 34, police said.
In Narsingdi, an elderly man was killed when a motorcycle hit him in Lucky Park area in Raipura upazila of the district in the morning. The victim was identified as Hasan ali from Bhairab, Kishoreganj district.
