Bus crash kills 8, exposes irregularities
The two buses that collided head-on in Rangpur early yesterday, leaving at least eight dead and over 50 injured, should not have been on the roads at all as neither had route permits.
Buses of Joyana Paribahan and Islam Paribahan were involved in the deadly crash on the Rangpur-Dinajpur highway around 12:30am.
In a flagrant violation of law, the Joyana Paribahan bus had also been operating without a fitness clearance for more than 11 years.
But the irregularities do not end there.
The Joyana Paribahan bus is actually registered with Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) as belonging to Rozina Enterprise.
But the bus changed its name without BRTA's approval and has been running under the Joyana Paribahan name, violating the Road Transport Act-2018, sources at the BRTA said.
Abu Raihan, general secretary of Bangladesh Bus Truck Owners Association, own the vehicle.
This picture unfolds amid growing number of road crashes and resultant deaths, with experts blaming poor monitoring of authorities and lax enforcement of laws for the situation.
The number of road crashes and deaths saw a 30 percent rise last year compared to 2020, according to police reports.
At least 519 people were killed and 961 injured in 458 road crashes across the country last month, Road Safety Foundation said on Sunday.
Yesterday, along with the eight dead, over 50 people were injured when the two buses collided in Rangpur's Taraganj upazila.
Identities of the deceased could not be known immediately.
Police and locals said the Joyana Paribahan bus, heading to Thakurgaon from Mymensingh, collided with the Islam Paribahan bus, heading for Dhaka from Dinajpur, near Kharuvaj Bridge of Rangpur's Taraganj upazila.
Five died on the spot.
Three more died at the Rangpur Medical College Hospital, said Shariful Hasan, the hospital's director.
Six of the victims were identified: Anwar Hossain, 35, of Harialkuthi village in Taraganj; Anisur Rahman, 48, of Taraganj; Jewel Rana, 22, a general secretary of Kamarpukur BCL unit of Nilphamari's Syedpur; Sadek Ali, 65, of Gaibandha; Dhananjoy Roy, 27, of Taraganj; and Jibon Rahman.
On information, personnel from the upazila's fire service and the Taraganj Highway Police Station reached the spot and started rescue operations with the help from locals.
Almost half the length of both buses were crumpled, leaving injured passengers trapped. Rescuers were seen using huge cutters to cut through parts of the bus and get the passengers out.
The cries of the injured and sirens of ambulances pierced the midnight silence.
Hospital staffers were also facing difficulty in dealing with the number of injured passengers.
Khatibur Rahman, in-charge of Taraganj Fire Service and Civil Defence, said the rain disrupted their rescue operation and the five bodies they recovered were almost unrecognisable.
TOP TRANSPORT LEADER VIOLATES LAW
After the crash, The Daily Star sought information from the BRTA and the police about the two buses and unearthed some astonishing information.
According to BRTA sources, the bus of Joyana Paribahan got registered with the BRTA in May 2010 under the name of Rozina Enterprise.
The bus had no route permit and its fitness clearance expired in May 2011, a BRTA official said citing official documents.
Contacted, Abu Raihan -- general secretary of BBTOA and owner of both Rozina Enterprise and Joyana Paribahan -- admitted that the bus was registered under the name of Rozina Enterprise and that the BRTA's approval was needed to change its name.
"I am the owner of both bus companies, so I did not take permission. We have just changed the banner [bus name]," he told The Daily Star last night.
However, as per Section 74 of the Road Transport Act-2018, unapproved changes of vehicle ownership is a punishable offence and the offender may face up to one month in jail or a fine of Tk 5,000, or both.
Asked about the bus having neither a fitness clearance nor a route permit, he said, "I don't know the about it. My manager may know."
When this correspondent asked how he, a top transport leader, operates a bus without a route permit and a fitness certificate, he said, "I am looking into the matter."
He, however, said the accident occurred because the Islam Paribahan bus hit his bus after illegally changing lanes.
The Islam Paribahan bus, on the other hand, registered with the BRTA in July this year and does not have a route permit.
Mahbub Morshed, officer-in-charge of Taraganj Highway Police Station, said helpers of both buses were among the dead, but the drivers managed to flee.
He said rain could have been a reason behind the accident, or that one of the drivers may have lost control over the wheel.
He said they have seized both buses and filed a case.
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