His licence expired long ago: Rab

Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) yesterday arrested the driver of the truck that killed five youths on Chattogram-Cox's Bazar highway.

The driver, Md Ripon (31), was arrested from his residence in the port city's Kadamtali area.

According to Rab, Ripon was guarding the truck near the accident spot, as per owner Amzad Hossain Sagor's instructions, while police, fire service and the public were busy rescuing the victims.

Lt Col Md Yousuf, commanding officer (CO) of Rab-7, during a press briefing yesterday said Ripon had a non-professional motor driving licence that expired several years ago.

"Despite knowing that Ripon has physical disabilities, the truck owner let him drive and sent him to Pekua with a truck full of stones. The truck was going at full speed when he tried to press the brakes and failed," said Yousuf.

Truck owner Sagor went into hiding after Ripon's arrest, said Rab.