Six killed in road crashes

At least six people, including a man and his three-year-old daughter, were killed in separate road accidents in Chattrogram, Satkhira, Faridpur and Sherpur yesterday.

In Chattogram, Abdul Aziz, 50, and his three-year-old daughter Afifa were killed and two others were critically injured when the government jeep of Bandarban district's Lama Upazila Chairman collided head on with a CNG-run auto-rickshaw at Rangunia upazila yesterday morning, police said.  

Aziz's wife Tahera Begum and CNG driver Kanchan Das, 24, were undergoing treatment at Chattogram Medical College Hospital (CMCH), said Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Alauddin Talukdar of CMCH Police outpost.

Imtiaj Md Ahsanul Quader Bhiyan, Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Rangunia Police Station, told The Daily Star, “The accident took place in front of Selima Quader College road linked to the Kaptai route around 10:30am” 

“Carrying Lama Upazila chairman Thoai Nu Aung Chowdhury, the jeep was heading for Chattogram from Lama when it collided head on with the Rangunia-bound CNG-run auto-rickshaw carrying the four victims,” told the OC.

The UP chairman was also injured but police could not find him at the spot, the OC said, adding that locals rushed the other injured to CMCH.

ASI Alauddin Talukdar said the father and daughter succumbed to their injuries while undergoing treatment.

OC Ahsanul said police took both the jeep and the mangled wreckage of the auto-rickshaw from the spot and informed the higher authority about the incident.

The UP chairman could not be reached for comment despite repeated attempts.

Lama Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Nur-E-Jannat told The Daily Star “The UP chairman did not inform local authority before leaving his workplace along with the government jeep as per the provision.”

“Police took the jeep in its custody after the incident while I informed the higher authority about the incident,” the UNO said.

Meanwhile, a cyclist, Aamir Hossain, 30, was killed in a road mishap on the Chattogram-Cox's Bazar Highway in the district's Karnaphuli upazila.

In Satkhira, a union level leader of the Swechhasebok League was crushed under the wheels of an Eagle Poribahan bus on the Jashore-Satkhira road yesterday around 4:00pm.

The dead was identified as Alamgir Hossain, 32. He was the secretary of Kushodanga union Swechhasebok League.

After the incident, locals barricaded the highway for one hour until police intervention.  

Kalaroa Police Station OC Moniruzzaman said they seized the bus and the victim's body was handed over to relatives.

In Faridpur, a man was killed in a road accident on the Dhaka-Khulna Highway at Nagarkanda upazila's Joybangla area around 10:30am yesterday.

The dead was identified as Masum Mia, 31, from Gopalganj.

Quoting locals, Nitarangaj Mollik, sub-inspector of Bhanga Highway Police Station, said, “The accident occurred when a Dhaka-bound bus of Tungipara Express ran over Masum when he was crossing the highway, leaving him dead on the spot.”

In Sherpur, a carpenter was killed when a battery-run auto-rickshaw turned over at Tatultola Bazar on the Sherpur-Jhenaigati road around 10:00am yesterday.

The dead was identified as Md Miraj Mia, 50, of Jhenaigati upazila, was the passenger of the vehicle. Quoting witnesses, police said Miraj Mia was injured critically when the auto-rickshaw veered off the road and flipped over into a roadside ditch.

Locals rushed him to Sherpur Sadar Hospital where on-duty doctors declared him dead, they added.

(Our correspondents from Chattogram, Satkhira, Faridpur and Sherpur contributed to the report)