7 killed as bus hits easy-bike in Panchagarh

Seven people were killed as a bus hit a battery-run easy-bike on Panchagarh-Banglabandha Highway in Tentulia upazila of Panchagarh this afternoon.

The victims were identified as Labu Islam, 27, his wife Mukti Begum, 19, Akbar Ali, 70, his wife Nurima Begum, 57, Masud, 43, Nargis, 42, and Rafiqul Islam, 40, driver of the easy bike. All the victims were hailing from different villages of Tentulia and Sadar upazilas of Panchagarh, our Thakurgaon correspondent reports quoting police.

Zilani said the Tentulia-bound bus of "Ankhi Enterprise" from Panchagarh rammed the easy-bike coming from opposite direction at Magurmari point on the highway around 1:30pm, leaving five passengers of the easy-bike dead on the spot and two others -- Akbar Ali and Mukti Begum --critically injured.

The injured persons were taken to Panchagarh Sadar hospital where attending doctors declared them dead, said the police official.

Police seized the bus while its driver and helper fled the spot, the SI said.

Meanwhile, a number of local people staged demonstration blocking the Panchagarh-Banglabandha Highway for at least two hours.

They also hurdled brick chips at the law enforcers while they were trying to disperse them from the highway.

On information, Deputy Commissioner of Panchagarh Sabina Yasmin and Superintendent of Police of district Yusuf Ali went to the spot to bring the situation under control, our correspondent reports quoting police.

Deputy Commissioner Sabina Yasmin said the district administration formed a three-member investigation committee led by Additional District Magistrate Rehanul Haque and asked the committee to submit its report within three days.