Uttara BRT accident: Unlicensed assistant was operating the crane, says RAB

An unlicensed assistant of the operator was operating the crane when the under-construction Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project's girder fell on a private car in the capital's Uttara killing five people on the spot, the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) said in a briefing today.

The main operator, Al Amin Hossain Hridoy, was giving instructions from outside, RAB Spokesperson Commander Khandaker Al Moin told the media on Thursday (18 August).

He further said Al Amin has a licence to drive light vehicles only, not any heavy vehicles.

"Al Amin had training to operate cranes in 2016 and worked on two-three construction projects afterwards. Later he started working as a crane operator in the BRT project in May 2022. His assistant - Rakib Hossain - started working as a crane helper in the project three months ago but he had no training in crane operation," Khandaker Al Moin added.

RAB spokesman further said, "Rakib was operating the crane and Al Amin was instructing him from outside at the time of the accident. After the accident, they both fled the scene."

10 people were arrested in this incident – crane operator Md Al Amin Hossain Hridoy, assistant Rakib Hossain, traffic men of Four Brothers Guard Service assigned to the accident site Md Rubel, Md Afroz Mia, safety engineer of the contracting company Md Zulfikar Ali Shah, the owner of IFS CON wich is engaged in the delivery of heavy equipment Md Iftekhar Hossain, Head of Operation Md Azharul Islam Mithu, marketing manager of the crane supplier Build Trade Company Tofazzal Hossain Tushar, administrative officers Ruhul Amin Mridha and Md Manzoor Islam

They were arrested from Dhaka's Jurain, Jatrabari, Kalshi, Savar and Gazipur, Sirajganj and Bagerhat on Wednesday.

IFS CON, which was contracted for supplying heavy machinery for the BRT project did not have a crane, so they employed a third party Build Trade Company to provide the crane as well as the driver, and helper on a monthly basis.

None of the companies ensured the fitness of the crane or the proficiency of the driver or helper. To cut cost all the companies employed unqualified personnel for various important jobs.

Also, the fitness of the crane was last ensured in 2021, no fitness check was done in 2022, said the RAB official.

On 15 August, a BRT (Bus Rapid Transit)-3 Elevated Expressway girder fell on a moving car killing five of a family on the spot and injuring two others.

Two passengers – a newly married couple Rezaul Karim Hridoy, 26 and Riya Akter, 19 – were rescued, but the rest of the passengers – Jharna Akter, 27, her two children Zakaria, 4, and Jannat, 6, and Hridoy's father Ayub Hossain Rubel, 55, and his mother-in-law Fahima Akter, 38, died on the spot.

A case was filed against the Chinese contractor for the BRT-3 Elevated Expressway.