12 killed in road accidents in 5 dists

Twelve people, including six in Gazipur, were killed and several others injured in separate road accidents in five districts across the country yesterday.

In Gazipur, six people died and six others were injured in a head-on collision between a human haulier en route to Chandna intersection and a passenger bus in the morning in front of Bhawal Badre Alam Government College on Dhaka-Tangail highway.

All the deceased were passengers of the human haulier. They were identified as Sujon, 20, from Gopalganj and driver of the vehicle; Abul Hossain, 50, from Netrakona; Ukil Miah, 45, from Sherpur; Pran Nath Das, 38, from Sunamganj; his cousin Bakul Chandra Das, 35; and Amena Begum, 45, from Jamalpur.

The collision took place as the smaller vehicle rammed into the bus while passing a slow-moving bus that was loading and unloading passengers on the highway, said roadside vendor Mazom Ali.

The injured, mostly factory workers, were admitted to Gazipur Shaheed Tajuddin Ahmed Medical College Hospital, reports our Gazipur Correspondent. 

All sorts of unfit as well as banned vehicles such as human hauliers and three-wheelers operate on the highway unhindered, ignoring public safety, complained Tareq Rahman Bhuiyan and Ashraful Islam, both fourth-year students of political science department at Bhawal Badre Alam College.    

Emran Hossain, sub-inspector of Highway Police at Naojore camp said, a ban against illegal and unfit vehicles was in force and they regularly take action against violators of traffic rules.

However, he said a new lot of human hauliers financed by commercial banks have been operating on the highway with legal route permit. 

Our correspondent from Natore reports, a BRTC bus ran over a rickshaw van at noon at Jolarbata area of Singra upazila, leaving the van puller, Abul Kalam, 30, son of Janab Ali from Chugram village and a passenger, Jaheda Begum, 70, wife of late Taiz Uddin from the same village, dead on the spot. 

Singra police recovered the body and sent to Natore Sadar Hospital for autopsy.

In Tangail, two people were killed and 12 others injured in separate accidents in Kalihati upazila in the morning, reports our correspondent.

In the first accident, helper of a pickup van -- Parvez Miah, 25 -- died on the spot as the vehicle caught fire on the link road of Bangabandhu Bridge in Dhalatengor area under Kalihati upazila.

In Bhuapur upazila, a Good Samaritan -- Halim Miah, 35 -- died of electrocution as he came in contact with a live wire while trying to rescue passengers of a bus that got in an accident. 

Our Thakurgaon correspondent reports, a man was killed in a road accident on Senua-Goalpara road in Tikapara area in the town.

The victim was identified as Khorshed Alam, 60, son of late Abdur Rashid.

A transport worker was killed on Khulna-Satkhira highway in Palash Pole area after he was run over by a bus. The deceased was identified as Abul Kalam, 55, from Lashkar Para village in Satkhira, our correspondent from Satkhira adds.