Infant Akifa's Death: Father sues bus owner, driver, helper

Three people, including the driver, were sued yesterday in connection with the death of 13-month-old Akifa Yasmin who was hit by a bus.

Harunur Rashid, Akifa's father, filed the case with Kushtia Police Station, said Nasir Uddin, officer-in-charge of the police station.

The other two accused are the owner of the bus and the driver's helper. “Police are trying to arrest the accused,” he said.

Akifa died of head injuries on Thursday at Dhaka Medical College Hospital. She was critically injured after she fell from her mother Rina Khatun's arms when the two was hit by the bus on Tuesday.

A CCTV footage obtained by the police shows that the bus was stationary when Rina started crossing the road with Akifa in her arms. As she was about to cross the stationary bus, the driver set off without warning, hitting Rina and Akifa before speeding away.

As Rina fell, the baby dropped from her arms and onto the road causing severe head injuries.

Akifa was rushed to Kushtia General Hospital from where she was moved to DMCH.

She was buried at Chourhas graveyard on Thursday night.

“I want to see my child's killers punished,” a grief-stricken Harun said.