United News of Bangladesh

There are no joyful conversations, no excitement over new clothes, no laughter of sons returning home after months away at the villages of Varsho union in Manda upazila. Instead, grief hangs heavy in the air, with families and relatives mourning young men whose final journey ended on a highway in Tangail. What was meant to be a joyful homecoming became a tragedy that wiped out dreams, shattered families and plunged an entire community into mourning. Ten people from Naogaon, including nine youths from the same union in Manda, are among those who were killed in a horrific road accident on the east side of the Jamuna Bridge in Tangail early Monday after boarding a rod-laden truck to return home from Noakhali, where they used to work as hawkers, buying human hair and selling used mobile phones, scrap materials and plastic toys. They chose the truck for one simple reason: they could not afford the soaring Eid bus fares. According to locals, transport fares had increased by Tk 1,800 to Tk 2,000 ahead of Eid. For low-income workers struggling to survive, that amount was enormous. So, like many others do during festive seasons, they took the riskier option. But little did they know that it would cost them their lives. The rod-laden truck plunged into the roadside and overturned, leaving 15 people killed and eight others injured. Of the deceased, nine were residents of different villages under Varsho union in Manda upazila, while another victim hailed from Malancha village in Niamatpur upazila of the district. The nine deceased from Manda were identified as Mohammad Tarek, son of Sultan Hossain, Abdur Rashid, son of Abdul Barek, Mohammad Badshah, son of Abdur Rahim, Sohagh Hossain, son of Ekabbar Hossain, Mohammad Rabiul, son of Shahidul, Mohammad Sagar, son of Mohammad Sakim of Rajendrabati village, Moinur Islam, son of Jafor Ali of Murshidpur village, and Mohammad Mainul and Mohammad Gias – two sons of Abdur Rashid of Pakuria village. Shariful hailed from Malancha village in Niamatpur. Firoz Hossain, a resident of Rajendrabati village, said over a hundred people from Uttar Najirpur Colony of Naogaon work in different trades in Noakhali throughout the year. “During Eid, bus operators charge an extra Tk 1,800 to Tk 2,000. To avoid the higher fares, many people travel by goods-laden trucks. They also returned home that way,” he said. Sultan Hossain, father victim Tarek, said the youths had started their journey from Feni by truck after failing to afford the higher bus fare. “They were all coming home together for Eid. None of us imagined this would be their last journey,” he said, breaking down in tears. The sudden deaths of the youths triggered scenes of mourning across Manda and Niamatpur upazilas, leaving the victims’ families devastated. Sabina Khatun, wife of deceased Badshah Mia, has been left devastated after suddenly losing her husband in the accident. She repeatedly broke down in tears while holding their only daughter Rahi Moni. Relatives trying to console her also could not hold back their tears. In a choked voice, Sabina said, “I spoke to my husband several times while he was returning home. He said he would buy a new dress and mehendi for our daughter. I last spoke to him around 10:00pm on Sunday. In the morning, I received the news of his death.” Manda Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Akhter Zahan Shathi said Deputy Commissioner of Naogaon Muhammad Saiful Islam and Tangail DC Sharifa Haque were jointly working to bring the bodies back home. She also said they will provide necessary assistance for burial.

At least 15 people were killed and eight others injured as a truck carrying iron rods plunged into roadside ditch on Dhaka-Tangail-Northern region Highway near eastern side of the Jamuna Bridge at Jokarchar in Kalihati upazila of Tangail district early Monday. Twelve of the deceased were identified as Sagor Mia, 20, son of Sakim Mia, Rabiul Islam, 25, son of Shahidul Islam, Barik, 21, son of Abdur Rashid, Badsha, 32, son of Rahim, Yeakub, 20, son of Ekabbar Ali, Tarek, 20, son of Sultan of Rajendrabari village in Manda upazila , Sariqul, 25, son of Saidul of Malanchi village in Niamatpur upazila, Gias, 20, son of Rashid and Mainul, 28 of Pakuria village in Manda upazila of Naogaon district,  Ismail Hossain, 19, son of Altaf Hossain of Tanore upazila in Rajshahi district, Nazrul Islam, 60 of Shibganj upazila and Mamun, 45 of Sadar upazila in Chapainawabganj district. Manjurul Alam, additional superintendent of Tangail (Kalihati circle) police, said the accident occurred around 4:15 am when the truck heading towards Northern region from Chattogram, carrying 25 people on board, plunged into the roadside ditch, leaving 15 people dead on the spot and eight others injured. On information, police and fire service men rushed to the spot and recovered the bodies. The injured were taken to Tangail General Hospital. All the deceased boarded the truck from Mohipal area of Feni district. Shamsul Alam Sarker, superintendent of Tangail police and other top police officials visited the spot.

Three motorcyclists were killed when a truck hit a motorcycle on Dinajpur–Gobindaganj road at Raniganj in Ghoraghat upazila of Dinajpur district on Saturday. The deceased were identified as Abdul Kaiyum Mushfique, 30, son of Al Amin; Saikat, son of Salim Uddin; and Al Amin, 38, son of Mosharraf Hossain of the upazila. All of them were construction workers. The accident occurred around 9:00 am when a speeding truck crashed into the motorcycle while it was heading towards Kalabari, leaving one dead on the spot and two others injured, said in-charge of Ghoraghat Police Station, Shahidul Islam. One of the injured died on the way to a local hospital, while another died after being admitted. Police seized the truck but could not arrest the driver as he managed to flee the scene.

Two people were killed after a truck crashed into the rear of another truck on the Dhaka-Bhanga Expressway in Bhanga upazila of Faridpur early Monday. The identities of the deceased could not be confirmed immediately, said Md Sohel Khan, sub-inspector of Bhanga Highway Police Station. The accident took place around 5am near the Atadi flyover area on the expressway. According to police, a fish-laden truck travelling at high speed rammed into the rear of a truck carrying seedlings to Dhaka, killing two people in the fish truck on the spot. Police suspect the deceased were the driver and helper of the truck. The bodies were recovered and kept at the police station. Both vehicles have been seized and legal proceedings are underway, the SI added.

A man was killed after being knocked down by a pickup van in the city’s Siddheswari area on Friday. The deceased was identified as Harun Or Rashid, 45, son of Tamij Uddin of Patka Kathalia area in Sadar upazila of Kishoreganj. He was a private car driver by profession. Harun was taken to the Dhaka Medical College Hospital around 10:45am in a critical condition. He died while undergoing treatment at the One Stop Emergency Centre of the hospital’s Casualty Department. Private car owner Kazi Lutfor, who brought Harun to the hospital, said the victim was gossiping with some other drivers in front of their garage near Monwara Hospital while preparing to return to his residence at Tejgaon on completion of duty. Suddenly, a pickup van hit him violently, leaving him injured. Later, he died at hospital, he said. Police seized the pickup van and detained its driver.

A seven-year-old boy was killed after being hit by a battery-run auto-rickshaw at Dighoir Cumillapara in Baraigram upazila of Natore district on Saturday. The deceased was identified as Abdur Rahim, a nursery student of Jonail Pre-Cadet School and son of Shah Alam of the village. The accident occurred around 8 am when the battery-run auto-rickshaw ran over him while crossing road in front of the school, leaving him dead on the spot, said Abdus Salam, officer-in-charge of Baraigram Police Station. On information, police seized the auto-rickshaw but could not arrest its driver as he managed to flee the scene.

Dhaka, Mar 30 (UNB) — An unidentified young man, aged around 25, was killed when a CNG-run auto-rickshaw hit a motorcycle in Badda area of the capital on Monday. The identity of the deceased could not be known immediately. The accident occurred around 3pm on the Maddhya Badda U-loop Bridge when the CNG-run auto-rickshaw hit the motorcycle, leaving the rider critically injured. Badda wall collapse leaves two children dead He was later taken to Dhaka Medical College and Hospital (DMCH), where doctors declared him dead, said Inspector Md Faruk, in-charge of the DMCH police camp.

A power distribution employee was killed in a motorcycle accident in Gopalganj on Eid-ul-Fitr morning, leaving more than 100 people unable to offer Eid prayers as the village plunged into mourning. The deceased was identified as Shariful Islam, 30, son of UP member Moksed Ali Sheikh of Tupuria village in Kotalipara upazila. He worked as a switchboard attendant at the Sadarpur office of West Zone Power Distribution Company Limited in Faridpur. The accident occurred on Saturday morning in the Baikanthapur area along the Rajair–Kotalipara road while Shariful was returning home from his workplace in Faridpur to celebrate Eid with his family. According to family sources, relatives had been waiting for him to join Eid prayers when they received news of the crash. Locals rescued him and rushed him to a nearby hospital, where doctors declared him dead. Preliminary reports suggest the accident occurred when Shariful lost control of his motorcycle on a rain-slick road and crashed into a roadside tree. Sub-Inspector Sukumar Kundu of Kotalipara Police Station said police have received information about the accident, but no formal complaint has been filed so far. The sudden death on Eid day has cast a pall of grief over the area. 

Two chicken traders were killed when a truck hit a chicken-laden van in Motijheel area of the capital early Tuesday. The deceased were identified as Md Ripon, 45, son of Shakhawat Hossain and Md Sultan, 50, son of Jamshed Ali of Sherpur district. The accident occurred around 4 am when the speedy truck hit the chicken-laden van while taking U-turn in front of Bangabhaban, leaving the two traders injured. Later, they were taken to Dhaka Medical College and Hospital (DMCH) where the doctors declared them dead, said Inspector Faruk, in-charge of DMCH police camp.

A motorcyclist was killed after being hit by a truck in Jatrabari area of the capital early Sunday. The deceased was identified as Md Arafat, 19, son of Ruhul Amin of Konapara area of the capital. The accident occurred around 2:15 am when the truck hit the motorcycle carrying two people, leaving Arafat injured. Later, he was taken to Dhaka Medical College and Hospital (DMCH) where the doctors declared him dead, said Inspector Md Faruk, in-charge of DMCH police camp. Police seized the truck but could not arrest its driver as he managed to flee the scene.