Holiday trip turns tragic

Lying on a hospital bed at Chattogram Medical College Hospital (CMCH), seven-year-old Araddhya was looking for her parents.  

As the little girl writhed in pain due to severe head injuries, she could only manage a few inaudible mumbling sounds.

But no one, including the medical staff, had the heart to tell her that she would not see her parents again. They had died in a road accident earlier in the day.

They were among the 10 people who died in a head-on collision between a microbus and a bus on the Chattogram-Cox's Bazar highway in the Jangalia area of Lohagara's Chunati union. Araddhya and another woman were seriously injured in the accident.

"All the deceased and injured were heading to Cox's Bazar for holiday on the microbus," said Shuvo Ranjan Chakma, officer-in-charge of Dohazari Highway Police Station. "The victims were travelling from Kushtia."

The victims included Araddhya's father, Dilip Biswas, her mother, Sadhana Biswas, and her maternal uncle, Asish Mandal. The identities of the other victims had yet to be confirmed.

"Eight people died on the spot, while two others succumbed to their injuries at CMCH," added the officer.

"The microbus driver was killed instantly, while the bus driver fled the scene. What caused the accident remains unclear. However, initial investigations suggest that the road was slippery due to saltwater sipping out from salt-laden trucks, which may have caused the microbus to lose control," he said.

The incident was part of a larger tragedy unfolding on the highway during the Eid holidays. Within just 48 hours, three accidents in the Chunati Jangalia area claimed the lives of 15 people and left at least 30 others injured, raising urgent safety concerns.

Drivers, police officers, firefighters, and locals attested to the treacherous nature of the hilly and slippery road due to salt transportation in the area. During the Eid holiday season, many drivers from outside the region, unfamiliar with these narrow and winding routes, fall victim to such fatal accidents.

According to Roads and Highways Department (RHD) officials, the 2-kilometre stretch from Lohagara Mazar Gate to Chunti Bazar has emerged as the most accident-prone section of the Chattogram-Cox's Bazar highway.

At least 28 people have been killed in road crashes along this stretch since January this year, according to the Dohazari Highway Police Station.

"The road is sloped and uneven, causing an imbalance while driving, which often results in accidents," said OC Shuvo Chakma.

Additionally, the transport of salt and fish makes the road slippery, further increasing the risk of accidents. Over-speeding is another major factor behind frequent crashes, he added.

According to him, the Jangalia, Jangalia Forest Gate, and Mazar Gate areas are particularly risky.

In terms of fatalities, six people were killed in January, three in February, eight in March, and 11 in the first two days of this month, he said.

The police have already sent letters seeking intervention from the Highway Police headquarters and the local RHD and Road Transport and Highways Division, he added.

Rokan Uddin Khaled Chowdhury, executive engineer and in-charge of the Chattogram South Road Division of the RHD, acknowledged the risks.

He said the 40-45 kilometres segment, from Chakaria to Patia's Indrapur, was marked risky a long time ago, and RHD put adequate roadside warning signs for drivers.

"The road at the accident site is only 22 feet wide and is surrounded by dense greenery. Salt-laden trucks travelling from Cox's Bazar spill saltwater onto the road, making it slippery, especially in the early hours. When vehicles travel at high speed, their brakes often fail to function properly, leading to such crashes," he said.

He said they have already engaged district administration officials and salt transportation workers regarding the issue.

"As a temporary solution, we are installing rumble strips to help control vehicle speed," he said.

"We are considering risk mitigation plans, as we cannot stop the transportation of salt. It's a big industry. However, measures can be implemented so that the workers maintain proper guidelines during transporting salt," he said, adding that workers often flout rules and do not use plastic wrapping to stop salt from spilling on the roads.