Car drowned in Turag traceless after 24hrs
A car used for a taxicab service, that plunged into river Turag on Sunday night near Savar’s Aminbazar, could not be found in 24 hours since the accident.
The ill-fated taxicab was overtaking a bus near a bridge on the Dhaka-Aricha highway, said an eyewitness. Jashim, 35, who was passing the area by rickshaw at the time, also heard a loud noise.
Search and rescue operations for the cab -- that sunk around 8:30pm on Sunday -- continued till filing of this report at 9:30pm, with divers from Savar, Mirpur, Banani and Manikganj fire service stations being joined in the evening by a unit of Bangladesh Navy.
Rescue operations were hindered due to strong river currents, rescuers said.
Firefighters, with help of locals, could not yet locate the submerged vehicle, said Anwarul Haque, commander (Dhaka Zone-4) of Fire Service and Civil Defence. Whether there were any passengers inside the vehicle was yet to be known, he added.
The car was being driven by one Ziaur Rahman, 40, claimed his family members who went to the spot yesterday evening.
“My brother’s phone has been switched off,” said Jahangir, brother of Ziaur.
Md Hanif, another driver of the same taxicab service who visited the spot on Sunday night, said he last heard that Ziaur was in Nabinagar of Savar on a passenger trip.
Quoting police, Savar Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Parvezur Rahman said police confirmed that the taxicab plunged in to the river, based on footage from a CCTV on the highway.
LOCALS BLAME FAULTY PILLARS
Locals alleged that the accident occurred due to poor condition of the security pillars of the bridge.
Asked about it, the UNO said he joined the office in Savar two month ago. “I have already informed Roads and Highways Department about it, and they will take step in this regard,” he added.
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