Six killed in road crashes in 3 dists

At least six persons were killed and scores were injured in separate road accidents in Dhaka's Bangla Motor area, Tangail's Sakhipur and Kalihati upazilas, and Bhairab upazila of Kishoreganj yesterday, according to reports from our correspondents.

In Dhaka, Arshad Ahmed Sarkar, 18, a student of Dhanmondi Ideal School and College, died as a covered van hit his motorcycle at Bangla Motor intersection around 4:30am and fled the scene.

The accident left Arshad severely injured. Police rescued him and took him to Dhaka Medical College Hospital, where on-duty doctors declared him dead, said Shahidul Hasan, a sub-inspector of Hatirjheel Police Station. "We are reviewing nearby CCTV footage to identify the van," the SI said.

The body has been handed over to his family without autopsy upon their request, police said.

In Tangail's Sakhipur upazila, a five-year-old boy died after being crushed under the wheels of a truck in front of  Life Care Clinic on Sakhipur-Gorai road around 1:00pm.

The deceased was identified as Sowad Al Safwan, son of Md Masum of Garh Gobindapur area in ​​the upazila.

Safwan and his mother got out of a battery-run auto-rickshaw on his way to his maternal grandfather's house. While his mother was paying the fare, Safwan stepped onto the road and was crushed by a truck. He died on the spot.

Confirming the incident, OC Abul Kalam of Sakhipur Police Station said police seized the truck, but its driver and assistant managed to flee.

In a separate incident in Kalihati upazila, two people were killed and at least 10 others injured as a bus lost control, hit an electric pole, and fell into a ditch along the Tangail-Jamalpur regional highway at Mulia area in the afternoon.

The deceased were identified as S Alam, 70, of Satiachara village in Mirzapur upazila, and Abdus Salam, 45, of Hamidpur Ghosaibari village in Ghatail upazila.

SI Kamrul Hasan of Madhupur (Elenga) Highway Police Outpost confirmed the incident.

A torn electric wire came into contact with the bus and electrocuted one person, while another bus passenger inside the bus was crushed to death, he said.

Locals rescued the injured and took them to Tangail General Hospital, he added.

In Kishoreganj, two people were killed and at least 10 others injured as the driver of a timber-laden truck lost control over steering and rammed the vehicle into a local kitchen market after crashing into two CNG-run auto-rickshaws in Bhairab upazila at around 7:00am.

The incident took place at Akbarnagar Bus Stand Bazaar area, adjacent to the Kishoreganj-Bhairab regional highway in Kalikaprashad union under the upazila, said Sahabur Rahman, officer-in-charge of Bhairab Highway Police Station.

The deceased were identified as Angur Mia, 45, and Halim Mia, 60, both local residents.

Halim Mia, who was selling poultry in the market, died on the spot. Several others were seriously injured and taken to Bhairab Upazila Health Complex, where doctors declared Angur Mia dead.

One critically injured person was referred to DMCH for advanced treatment.

"Responding to a call made to the national emergency service number 999, highway police rushed to the spot and seized the truck. However, the driver and his assistant managed to flee," the OC added.