4 Chhatra League activists killed in Sylhet road crash

Four activists of the Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) were killed in a road accident on the Sylhet-Jaflong road in Jaintapur upazila of Sylhet early Saturday.

The accident took place near the Banglabazar Bridge at around 1am when a truck hit a private car carrying them, causing it to fall into a nearby ditch.

The victims are Mehedi Hasan Tamal, 25; Nihal Paul, 26; Jubayer Ahmed Sabbir, 26, and Ali Hossain Suman, 25, said Rahel Siraj, general secretary of Sylhet Chhatra League.

Tamal was general secretary of Jaintiapur upazila unit BCL and three others were activists of the same upazila unit," said Rahel Siraj.

Following the accident, locals rescued the injured and sent them to Jaintapur Upazila Health Complex where two of them were declared dead.

Then, two others succumbed to their injuries on the way to Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College Hospital.

"The bodies were sent to the morgue of MAG Osmani Hospital and later, handed over to the families after the autopsy," said Md Tajul Islam, officer-in-charge of Jaintapur Police Station.

Activists of Awami League and BCL reportedly vandalised Jaintapur Upazila Health Complex over the death of four BCL activists, reports UNB.

"Two ambulances, hospital furniture, and various emergency department equipment were vandalised," said Dr Md Salahuddin, Upazila Health and Family Planning Officer.

They also beat up the doctors on duty and torched a car parked in the garage of the hospital, he said. He also said that preparations were underway to file a case in this regard.

Tajul Islam, officer-in-charge of Jaintapur Police Station, said the relatives of the deceased carried out the attack out of emotion. "We will take legal action if the hospital authorities file a complaint," he said.

District BCL president Nazmul Islam, however, denied any involvement of BCL activists in the incident.