Toll of racing buses: Injured sister left to mourn sibling

When both of his daughters, Tasnim Jahan Irene and Nusrat Jahan Jerrin, left for work on Wednesday (9 October) morning, SM Saiful Alam never imagined this ordinary workday would turn into a day of unimaginable grief for the family. 

The sisters, who worked at the same office, took their usual route and were crossing the Pragati Sarani road in the capital's Badda at around 9 in the morning.

But they had no idea that two Akash Paribahan buses were racing recklessly along the same route, competing for passengers. The buses collided as one tried to overtake the other, running over both sisters in the process, witnesses reported.

Irene, 24, was killed instantly, while her elder sister, Jerrin, 28, was critically injured. Jerrin is now fighting for her life at Evercare Hospital as she grieves the loss of her sibling.

"My two daughters worked at the same office. They left for work this morning, but later I received the devastating news that both were in a road accident," Saiful tearfully shared at Dhaka Medical College morgue, where he rushed after hearing the news.

Relatives, colleagues, and friends gathered at the morgue, struggling to comprehend the senseless loss. Originally from Barguna's Patharghata, the family lives in Mirpur's Pallabi area.

After the autopsy, the family took Irene's body for burial in the afternoon. 

Confirming the incident, Sub-Inspector Fatema Siddika Shoma of Badda police station said, "The accident took place at around 9:15am when the two sisters were crossing Pragati Sarani road. A bus from Akash Paribahan hit Irene, leading to her instant death, while her sister Jerrin was critically injured."

She added that both buses involved in the race had been seized, and one of the drivers, who initially fled the scene, was later arrested.

Colleagues at Next Ventures, where the sisters worked, mourned the loss of Irene.

Omar Faruk Apurbo, their colleague, said, "Our dear Tasnim Jahan Irene apu lost her life this morning in a horrible accident right in front of our office. She was crossing the road with her sister, Jerrin, when two buses from Akash Paribahan were racing each other. In their madness, one of the buses ran over Irene apu, taking her life on the spot."

A motorcyclist was also injured in the incident, he added.

Omar Faruk further noted, "What's even more shocking is that this same bus company, earlier named 'Suprovat Paribahan,' was responsible for killing Abrar, a BUP student, in front of Jamuna Future Park back in March 2019. After that incident, they just changed their name to 'Akash' and 'Victor Classic,' and kept going as if nothing happened."

The tragedy has once again raised concerns about the lack of enforcement on dangerous driving practices of buses. 

For Jerrin, life will never be the same. Her sister will never come back, her life cut short by reckless indifference on the city's roads.