Elevated Expressway worker arrested over child’s death
However, the First Dhaka Elevated Expressway authority dodged its responsibility
A worker of the Dhaka Elevated Expressway was arrested on Monday night in a case filed over his negligence in the death of a boy after being struck by a rod that fell from the under-construction expressway in Mohakhali.
Hasib Hasan, the Banani and Mohakhali site manager of the expressway, on Monday night, filed the case with Dhaka Railway police station accusing the worker, Md Hasan, of negligence over the incident, said police.
Banani police officer-in-charge Mostafizur Rahman said, "Primarily they found that the 12-year-old boy, named Sumon, along with a few other kids used to collect scrap materials from roads and railway tracks. An iron rod fell on him and pierced through his head under the expressway on Monday morning."
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In the case statement, Hasib mentioned that the boy died due to negligence at work.
Asked why the expressway authorities were not blamed for the lack of safety measures, the plaintiff of the case said, "The rod fell through a hole and caused the boy's death. We found the worker guilty as he wasn't cautious at that point. Why should anyone else be blamed?"
However, locals, shopkeepers, and hawkers at the nearby accident spot alleged that the Elevated Expressway authorities had not taken proper security and safety measures to prevent such an incident on the ground when the workers were working overhead.
Site manager Hasib said he supervises 300 workers. Many workers were working overhead on the spot. A primary investigation found it was Hasan's fault.
He also rejected the allegation of a lack of safety measures and negligence from authorities.
Dhaka Railway police OC Ferdous Ahmed said they were talking to the accused and witnesses and trying to find out details of the victim.
"We are investigating whether the Expressway authorities had any lapses in security and safety measures at the construction sites," he added.
The plaintiff further said, "The worker admitted to his negligence which resulted in an iron rod falling on a boy, which pierced his head causing his death."
The injured boy was rushed to the Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) where on-duty doctors declared him dead. Still, his body has been kept at the DMCH mortuary as no one claims the body, said Md Bachhu Miah, in charge of the hospital's police outpost.
Five people were killed on 15 August last year after a girder from the Bus Rapid Transit Line 3 project crashed into a car at the Jashim Uddin Avenue area in the capital's Uttara area.
