Tragedy at Farmgate: Woman killed by a rashly driven bus

Sakhina Begum, 65, was returning home with her son after a routine medical check-up at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University Hospital yesterday afternoon.

She had a stent implanted in her heart some four months ago.

Shamim Khan, deputy assistant agriculture officer of Tejgaon circle, made sure that his mother had worn a helmet before starting his motorcycle.

Neither of them had any clue about the impending disaster that would take the mother’s life and leave the son a hapless witness.

Around 2:50pm, when the motorcycle reached near Farmgate footbridge, a bus of Airport Bangabandhu Avenue Paribahan rearended them at speed, said Shamim.

He along with the bike fell on the left-side of the road while Sakhina on the other side.

The bus did not stop, rather it hit Sakhina, fallen on the road, he said.

Shamim said he had shouted at the driver “Stop ... stop” but it did not.

The bus crushed the helmet under its wheels, and dragged his mother around 20 feet leaving her dead on the spot.

Jahedul, an eyewitness, said had the driver stopped the vehicle immediately, she would have survived.

Sakhina, wife of freedom fighter Subedar Sundar Ali of Brahmanbaria, resided at the capital’s Khilkhet. 

Police held Shah Alam, 49, the driver of the bus, said Hasanat Khandakar, inspector (operations) of Tejgaon Police Station.

The helper of the vehicle, however, managed to flee, he said.

The body was sent to Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College Morgue for an autopsy.