Nine persons were killed and 20 others injured yesterday in a head-on collision between a bus and an auto-rickshaw on Sirajganj-Enayetpur road in the district's Belkuchi upazila.
In Rangamati, at least four people were killed and around 30 others injured as a bus plunged into a 150-feet ditch near Radio Station in the town around 7:00pm. Identities of the deceased could not be known immediately.
In the Sirajganj accident, eight died on the spot while another succumbed to injuries on way to Sirajganj General Hospital. Of the dead, the six people were aboard the auto-rickshaw and they included its driver.
Seven of the dead were identified as Jotish Chandra Sheel, 60, Shahidul Islam, 55, Aminul Islam, 25, Abdul Malek, 22, Mizanur Rahman, 20, Rashedul Islam, 25, and bus helper Hira Mia, 25.
Among the injured, 15 passengers were admitted to Sirajganj General Hospital and Belkuchi Upazila Health Complex. Of them, the condition of five persons, including pregnant Rahima Khatun, 22, Yusuf Ali, 18, Tofazzal Hossain, 52, Sona Ullah Mia, 50, and Khalilur Rahman, 20, was critical, doctors at the Sirajganj hospital said.
The Karim Paribahan bus bound for Sirajganj from Enayetpur rammed into the three-wheeler in Ambaria area about 4:00pm, said Belkuchi UNO Ananda Kumar Biswas and Abul Kalam Azad, officer-in-charge of Belkuchi Police Station.
The bus, skidding off the road, fell into a roadside ditch.
The road has become narrower due to repair work at this point, reports our correspondent, adding that the CNG-run auto-rickshaw was totally damaged. The driver of the bus fled the scene.
Fisheries and Livestock Minister Abdul Latif Biswas visited the spot and asked the authorities concerned to ensure proper treatment of the injured.
A case was filed in this connection.
Our Rangamati correspondent reports the reason behind the accident was not clear but many witnesses said the vehicle had plunged into the roadside ditch as it lost control.
Army and police personnel and fire-fighters with the help of local people rescued the survivors and recovered the bodies.
However, they were yet to salvage the bus.
The bodies were sent to Rangamati General Hospital while 12 injured and in critical condition were sent to Chittagong Medical College Hospital.