A day that was meant to mark a young couple’s first year of marriage with family celebrations instead ended in tragedy when a speeding lorry struck their motorcycle in Pirgachha, Rangpur, killing 20-year-old Liza Akter and leaving her husband critically injured.
The accident occurred at around 8pm on Saturday in the Kalistan area of the Satdargah-Rangpur road in Pirgachha upazila. Liza and her husband, Shamim Mia, were travelling by motorcycle to her father’s home when the fatal collision took place.
Liza was the daughter of businessman Lavlu Mia of Guabari village in Pirgachha. Her husband, Shamim, is a resident of Baman Sardar village in Anondanagar Union.
According to police and local residents, the couple had set out from their home on Saturday evening as part of their first wedding anniversary plans. They were travelling along the Satdargah-Rangpur road when a lorry approaching from the opposite direction reportedly struck their motorcycle at high speed in the Kalistan area.
The impact left both Liza and Shamim seriously injured. People living nearby rushed to the scene after hearing the crash and helped recover the injured couple. They were taken towards Pirgachha Upazila Health Complex for emergency treatment.
Liza, however, died on the way to the hospital. Her husband was in a critical condition and was subsequently taken to Rangpur Medical College Hospital for advanced treatment. His condition was reported to be serious.
The incident has caused deep grief among the couple’s relatives and people in the surrounding area. The circumstances made the tragedy particularly painful for Liza’s family, as she had been travelling to her parental home on the very day the couple were expected to celebrate their first wedding anniversary.
Following the crash, local residents managed to stop and detain the lorry. The driver and his assistant, however, reportedly fled the scene before they could be apprehended. Police later went to the location and took the vehicle into their custody.
Pirgachha police station officer-in-charge Selim Malik said the lorry had been detained and that legal proceedings were under way in connection with the accident.
Road crashes involving motorcycles and heavy vehicles remain particularly dangerous because of the significant difference in size and weight between the vehicles. Excessive speed, unsafe overtaking, poor attention to traffic conditions and failure to maintain adequate distance can greatly increase the risk of fatal collisions. For motorcyclists, the consequences can be especially severe when a collision occurs with a heavy vehicle.
The tragedy also highlights the importance of prompt emergency response after a road accident. Immediate rescue, rapid transportation to a suitable medical facility and timely treatment can be crucial for seriously injured victims, although such measures cannot always prevent fatalities.
For Liza’s family, the journey to her father’s home will now remain an unbearably painful memory. What was supposed to be a simple family visit marking a milestone in a young marriage instead became the final journey of her life.
Relatives and local residents have expressed grief over her death and called for appropriate legal action against those responsible. Police said the necessary legal process was being pursued in connection with the collision.
