Eid journey turns tragic for many

Amid the Eid-ul-Fitr and Pahela Baishakh celebrations, there were families who had to mourn the loved ones killed in road accidents and similar incidents.

Five people, including three of a family, died after being struck by a launch's broken mooring line at the Sadarghat Terminal on the Eid day.

Over the last seven days, some 18 people were killed per day in road crashes, according to Bangladesh Road Transport Authority, while several others drowned in rivers during this Eid vacation.

Belal Hossain, 30, and six-month-pregnant Mukta Khatun, 25, were expecting their second child in just a few months.

According to their plan, they were headed to their village home in Pirojpur's Mathbaria upazila on Eid day to ensure Mukta's necessary care from family members and so that she could give birth there.

However, when the mooring line of a launch broke and struck them, all three – Belal, Mukta, and their 4-year-old daughter Maisha – died on the spot at Sadarghat Ferry Terminal.

According to a witness, the incident occurred around 3:00pm on April 11 while two launches – Farhan-10 and Farhan-6 -- were trying to dock between two other launches – Tipu-13 and Tasrif-1 -- at one of the pontoons.

The docking attempt in the tight spot caused the mooring line of launch Tasrif-4, docked next to the Tipu-13, to snap under pressure.

Monir Hossain, assistant to the driver of Tasrif-4, said, "Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority officials had asked us to loosen our mooring line as the launches were trying to dock in a tight spot. But before we could do that, our mooring line broke and hit five people standing at the entrance of the Pubali launch, which was docked to the left of our launch."

Families of two other victims, Robiul Islam, 19, and Ripon Hawlader, 38, were also devastated by the incident.

BIWTA, who is investigating the incident, filed a case against five staffers of Tasrif-4 and Farhan-6, who were arrested meanwhile.

ROAD CRASHES 

The number of vehicles rose sharply amid the Eid rush, which resulted in a higher number of road crashes and deaths.

At least 122 people were killed and 195 others injured in 117 road crashes between April 8 and 14, according to the BRTA.

This means around 18 people were killed on the road every day during this period.

The data shows that the highest number of people killed in a single day – April 9 -- was 26, with 61 injured, in 27 road crashes.

DROWNING

Meanwhile, a railway engineer, his son and brother-in-law drowned while bathing in the Padma in Munshiganj's Tongibari upazila.

The bodies of Reyad Ahmed Raju, 45, additional chief engineer of Bangladesh Railway, and Mohammad Jewel, 40, a Prime Bank official, were recovered from the river on April 12.

The body of Reyad's son Ramin Arid, a 10th grader at the school section of Milestone College in the capital's Uttara, was recovered the next day.

Reyad and his brother-in-law Jewel drowned while trying to rescue Ramin, who was swept away by strong currents.

Quoting the victims' relatives, police and fire service officials told our Munshiganj correspondent that the three went to Besnal area of Tongibari from Dhaka's Mohammadpur on April 12 to visit their relative Alam Molla.

Around 4:30pm, the three, along with others, boarded a trawler in Dhankora area to cruise the river. Later, Ramin and several others got off the trawler to bathe there.