Newborn killed as ambulance, bus collide

A newborn was killed and at least 15 others were injured when an ambulance collided head-on with a bus in Barishal's Babuganj upazila yesterday afternoon.

The accident happened on Barisal-Dhaka highway in Rampatti area around 1:30pm, said police.

Seven of the injured were admitted to Barishal Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital.

Sub-inspector Mehedi Hasan of Babuganj Police Station said the bus, carrying 30 people, was coming from Faridpur's Boalmari. The people were going to Charmonai to attend a mahfil (religious gathering) there. The ambulance with the critically ill three-day-old baby was going to Dhaka from Barishal Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital for better treatment.

Kamrul, a bus passenger, said the speed of both the vehicles was high.

The accident damaged the ambulance badly. The newborn died on the spot.

Zahid bin Alam, officer-in-charge of Airport Police Station, said the baby's mother Shahana Akter Jui, her mother Shahinur Begum, brother-in-law Sagar, aunt-in-law Firoza, ambulance driver Rezaul, helper Zaheer, and one Rimon were injured and admitted to the hospital.

Two of them were in critical condition, he added.