8 killed as bus hits 2 auto-rickshaws

Eight people, including a child, were killed as a BRTC bus collided head-on with two auto-rickshaws on Dhaka-Sylhet highway in Habiganj's Nabiganj upazila yesterday.

Ershadul Haque Bhuiytan, OC of Sherpur Highway Police Station, said a Sylhet-bound BRTC bus from Cumilla rammed into the CNG-run three-wheelers in Fultali Bazar area around 5:00pm, leaving the eight dead on the spot.

Twelve passengers of the bus were also injured as the vehicle skidded off the highway into a field, said OC added.

Among the dead are Maria Akhter, 2, and her mother Samirun Begum, 30,  Halima Begum, 26, Antar Miah, 21, Liza Akhter, 20, and Kitab Ali, 32.  The identities of the two others could not confirmed until last night.

On information, police and firefighters rushed to the spot and joined the rescue operation with some locals.

The injured were sent to two hospitals in Sylhet and Habiganj. Two of them were in critical condition, said fire service officials.

Angered by the accident, locals blocked the highway in Shataihal area for over two hours, halting movement of traffic, said OC Ershadul.

[Our correspondents in Brahmanbaria and Moulvibazar contributed to this report.]