5, including 4 of a family, killed as bus crushes vehicles at Dhaka-Mawa expressway toll plaza
Officials at the scene immediately could not confirm why the driver of the Dhaka-Kuakata bus did not slow down or apply the brake while approaching the toll plaza
Highlights:
- Three killed on spot
- Two succumbed on way to hospital
- Fire service officials say death toll may rise
At least five people, including four of a family, have been killed after an "apparently out of control" bus crushed a car, ran over a motorcycle and rear-ended a microbus at the Dhaleshwari toll plaza, on the Dhaka-Mawa expressway, in Keraniganj.
The incident took place at 11:06am today (27 December), showed the CCTV camera footage from the toll plaza.
Sreenagar fire service station official Dewan Azad also confirmed the incident and the death toll to The Business Standard.
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Three of the deceased, including a child, were killed on the spot. The other two succumbed while being transported to Dhaka for hospitalisation, said fire service official.
The four deceased from the same family are: Amena Begum, 45, her daughter Imi, 26, younger daughter Riha, 7, and grandson Ayat, 7, according to Mitford Hospital Ward Master Billal Hossain.
Another deceased child was identified as Abdullah, 7. He was on the motorcycle with his parents Sumon Hossain, 30, and Reshma Aktar, 28 – who are from Madaripur's Bhurghata area.
The motorcycle, the microbus and the car had just arrived at the toll plaza and were serially in queue when the Bepari Paribahan bus hit the car first, crushing it completely. Then the bus rear-ended the microbus and ran over the motorcycle, crushing it as well, showed the video footage.
Officials at the scene immediately could not confirm why the driver of the Dhaka-Kuakata bus did not slow down or apply the brake while approaching the toll plaza.
Hashara Highway Police Station Officer-in-Charge Abdul Quader Jilani said, "It is assumed that the driver lost control of the vehicle. It is being investigated whether the driver fell asleep or the accident occurred due to a technical fault."
Sumon and Reshma, who were critically injured, were rushed to the National Institute of Traumatology and Orthopaedic Rehabilitation, commonly known as Pongu Hospital, in the capital.
The family was on their way to attend a wedding in Madaripur.
The identities of the other victims could not be known immediately.
Fire service officials said the death toll may rise.
OC Jilani said the work to move the damaged vehicles from the road was underway.
More details regarding the grim incident are expected to be available soon.
