Bus owner, driver get bail

A court here yesterday granted bail to the owner and the driver of a bus of Ganj-e-Raj Paribahan in the case filed in connection with the death of 13-month-old Akifa Yasmin.

Senior Judicial Magistrate MM Morshed of the Chief Judicial Magistrate's Court in Kushtia passed the order after law enforcers produced bus owner Jainal Abedin before the court and driver Altaf Hossain Khokon surrendered there at the same time.

Akifa was critically injured after she fell from the arms of her mother Rina Khatun when they were hit by the bus in Kushtia on August 28. The baby succumbed to her head injuries at Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) on August 30.

The following day, Akifa's father Harunur Rashid filed a case with Kushtia Model Police Station against three people, including bus owner Jainal, driver Altaf and helper Mohid Mia.

The CCTV footage obtained by the police shows the bus was stationary when Rina started crossing the road with Akifa in her arms.

When she was about to cross the stationary bus, its driver set off without warning, hitting the two before speeding away.

As Rina fell down, the baby slipped from her arms and fell to the road, suffering severe head injuries. Akifa was rushed to Kushtia General Hospital from where she was moved to DMCH.

Mohid Mia, helper of the bus, is still absconding, said police.