Heavily Pregnant Schoolteacher Dies Following Sajek Road Crash

A tragic road traffic accident in the Chittagong Hill Tracts has claimed the lives of a heavily pregnant schoolteacher and her unborn child. The incident occurred on Saturday morning at approximately 9:30 am in the Champatali area of Sajek union, located within the Baghaichhari upazila of Rangamati district. A speeding dump truck forcefully rammed into the three-wheeled compressed natural gas (CNG) powered auto-rickshaw in which the expectant mother was travelling.

The deceased has been identified as 30-year-old Sumanti Chakma. She served as an assistant teacher at the Chap Adam Government Primary School in Sajek union. At the time of the collision, her family was rushing her from her remote residence towards the Khagrachhari Modern District Sadar Hospital for childbirth. Tragically, both the educator and her unborn infant succumbed to injuries sustained in the crash.

Emergency Hospital Transfer Cut Short

Baghaichhari Upazila Primary Education Officer Sanchayan Chakma confirmed the details of the incident. He explained that Sumanti Chakma had recently entered her official maternity leave ahead of her anticipated delivery date. Due to a lack of advanced emergency maternity facilities in the immediate locality, her family had arranged the auto-rickshaw journey to seek professional care at the district hospital.

As the vehicle navigated the terrain through the Champatali area, an oncoming dump truck collided with the auto-rickshaw. The immense impact left the vehicle severely mangled, causing catastrophic injuries to the teacher. Local residents and onlookers rushed to the scene to pull the victims from the wreckage. They immediately transported her to the Khagrachhari Sadar Hospital emergency department, where the attending medical officer officially pronounced her dead upon arrival.

Enforcing Road Safety Standards in Remote Zones

When questioned about the unfolding legal and emergency response, the Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Sajek Police Station, Tofazzal Hossain, initially stated that his officers had received reports of a severe collision involving a local schoolteacher. Whilst he was initially aware that she had been evacuated to the district hospital in a critical condition, official confirmation of her demise reached the station house shortly afterwards.

The tragic loss highlights the ongoing challenges of road safety and emergency medical transit across the hill tracts. Locals have frequently voiced concerns over heavy commercial vehicles, particularly dump trucks transporting construction materials, navigating the narrow, winding hill roads at dangerous speeds. Law enforcement authorities are now preparing an official investigation to locate the truck driver, who reportedly fled the scene immediately after the fatal impact. Meanwhile, a shadow of profound grief has descended upon the academic community and the residents of Sajek.