7 killed as bus hits microbus

At least seven people, including four children, were killed and 10 others injured as a bus collided head-on with a microbus carrying a bridal party in Shibpur upazila of Narsingdi yesterday morning.

The “Mitali Paribahan” bus was already in a ramshackle state and had also burst one of its tyres. The driver, however, continued driving, witnesses said quoting bus passengers.

Itakhola Highway Police Outpost Sergeant Hafizur said the incident took place at around 7:30am at Sonaimuri Tek when the Habiganj-bound bus collided head-on with the Chandpur-bound microbus coming from the opposite direction, leaving three passengers of the microbus dead on the spot.

The bus driver lost control after a tyre burst, he said.

Sub-Inspector of Highway Police, Mosarraf Hossain said, “Almost all buses of Mitali Paribahan are in bad condition. They don't have fitness clearances but are still plying on the [Dhaka-Sylhet] highway.”

The passengers of the microbus were on their way back from a wedding when the tragic accident occurred.

Itakhola Highway Police Outpost Sergeant Hafizur Rahman said they identified the dead as Prantika Burman, 6, daughter of Subal Burman; Sujon Burman, 35; his daughter Snigdha Burman, 5; Shuvo Burman, 30; Swarup Burman, 12; and Bristi Burman, 6, daughter of Nirmol Burman.

After the accident, locals rescued the injured and took them to Narsingdi Sadar Hospital, from where four were referred to Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH).

Among the injured, one died at the Narsingdi hospital while another succumbed to his injuries on the way to the DMCH.

Two more injured died at the DMCH in the afternoon while undergoing treatment.

The bus driver and the helper fled the scene right after the accident occurred, Hafizur said, adding that police have seized the bus.

A flawed and corrupt transport system is what school and college students had waged a protest against just two weeks ago following the deaths of two college students in a road crash on the capital's Airport Road on July 29.

Seven passengers are killed and five others injured after a microbus collided head-on with a bus in Shibpur upazila in Narsingdi on August 14, 2018. Photo: Star/ Masuk Hridoy