15 killed in road crashes

In a reunion full of elation, Halim Akand was received by four members of his family on his return from Saudi Arabia early yesterday. Halim, 43, landed around 2:00am yesterday.

But as they were on their way home to Bagerhat from the airport, the joy soon turned to misery. The family met a tragic accident which killed all five and a microbus driver on the spot.

The accident occurred on the Dhaka-Khulna highway in Gopalganj's Kashiani upazila around 9:00am when a bus collided head-on with the microbus, also leaving 15 bus passengers injured.

The deceased are Halim, his wife Asma Banu, 35, sons Shihab Akond, 8, and Sujon Akond, 17, and brother-in-law Badsha Farazi, 37. They were from Sharankhola of Bagerhat. The identity of the driver could not be confirmed.

AKM Alinur Hossain, officer-in-charge of Kashiani Police Station, said the bus of Sheba Green Line service rammed the microbus, forcing it to plunge into a roadside ditch.

ABM Mamotaj Uddin Ahmed, assistant director of Faridpur fire service and civil defence, said the bus hit the microbus while overtaking another vehicle. He said they recovered the bodies from the microbus at 1:30pm.

Eight of the injured were admitted to Kashiani Upazila Health Complex.

Nine more people, including three members of a family, were killed in road accidents in Sirajganj, Rangpur and Rajshahi.

A similar tragedy struck the family of a Middle Eastern expatriate, Abdur Rashid, who returned to the country yesterday. Three of his family members, who were going to Shahjalal International Airport early yesterday, were killed on the spot as their microbus collided head-on with a bus on Dhaka-Bogra highway in Raihati area of Sirajganj's Raiganj upazila.

The deceased are Solaiman Miah, 65, his daughter-in-law Lili Akter, 32, and grandson Sagor Hossain, all hailing from Kahalu upazila of Bogra. The microbus driver, Monir Hossain, also died in the accident.

OC Abdul Kader Zilani of Hatikamrul Highway Police Station, quoting victims' family members, said Solaiman along with his family members was going to receive his elder son Abdur Rashid at the airport.

The accident took place around 1:00am when a Kurigram-bound bus of Dhanshiri Paribahan hit the microbus coming from the opposite direction, leaving the four dead on the spot and two others injured, said the OC.

The bus driver lost control over the steering wheel as he was driving very fast causing the accident, said the OC, adding that the driver managed to escape the scene after the incident. Police later seized the bus from the spot.

In Rangpur, three people were killed and at least 10 injured in a road accident in Taraganj upazila last night, reported UNB.

Abdul Latif Miah, OC of Taraganj Police Station, said a Dhaka-bound bus of Hanif Paribahan hit another bus of Asian Paribahan from behind on Rangpur-Syedpur road around 11:00pm while trying to overtake it.

The supervisor, helper of the driver and a passenger of the Hanif Paribahan bus died on the spot, he added.

The injured were taken to a local hospital.

In Rajshahi, two motorcyclists were killed as their bike collided with a truck on Dhaka-Rajshahi highway in Pollapukur area of Puthia upazila around 12:30pm, reported our correspondent from Rajshahi.

The dead are Tushar, 22, and Shahin, 20, of Ramchandrapur area of Rajshahi city. The two died on the spot, said Sergeant Monirul Islam of Rajshahi Highway Police.

After hitting the motorcycle, the truck fell into a roadside ditch, 500 yards away from the accident spot, said the police official.

Police seized the truck, but its driver and helper managed to flee.

Meanwhile, an elderly man was killed under a train in Phulbari upazila of Dinajpur around 7:30pm on Wednesday.

The deceased was identified as Sukumar Goswami, 60, from Akkelpur upazila of Joypurhat.

Habibur Rahman, the stationmaster of Phulbari Railway Station, said the man was roaming around the station area. He was killed on the spot when the Rajshahi bound Titumeer Express ran over him.

Phulbari upazila GRP police recovered his body and sent it to M Abdur Rahim Medical College Hospital for an autopsy.