A 12-year-old girl was killed and three others, including her mother, elder sister and a Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) member, were injured when a CNG-powered auto-rickshaw overturned in Panchhari upazila of Khagrachhari on Friday.
The accident occurred at approximately 11 am on Principal Para Road in Latiban Union while the child was returning from her maternal grandparents’ home with her family.
The deceased was identified as Tania Akter, the younger daughter of Anwar Hossain and Daisy Akter, residents of the Puraton Barnal area of Tabalchhari in Matiranga upazila of Khagrachhari.
According to local sources, Tania was travelling with her mother, Daisy Akter, 35, and elder sister, Ankhi Akter, 17, from the Pilot Farm area of Panchhari towards Khagrachhari town.
A member of Border Guard Bangladesh, identified as Abdur Razzaq, was also travelling in the auto-rickshaw.
When the vehicle reached the Principal Para area, the driver reportedly lost control, causing the auto-rickshaw to veer off the road and overturn into a roadside ditch.
Tania became trapped beneath the overturned vehicle and sustained critical injuries. Her mother, elder sister and the BGB member were also injured in the accident.
Local residents rushed to the scene immediately after the incident. With assistance from police, they rescued the injured passengers and transported them to Panchhari Upazila Health Complex for emergency medical attention.
Despite the rescue efforts, doctors at the health complex declared Tania dead.
The extent of the injuries sustained by the other three passengers and details of their subsequent medical treatment were not immediately available.
The accident turned what had been an ordinary journey home from a family visit into a tragedy. Tania had been travelling with her mother and sister after visiting her maternal grandparents when the vehicle overturned before they could reach their destination.
Police confirmed that the child’s body had been sent to Khagrachhari Sadar Hospital for a post-mortem examination as part of the legal procedures following her death.
Panchhari Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Ferdous Wahid said no formal complaint had been lodged with the police in connection with the accident.
He stated that the authorities would take appropriate legal action if a complaint was submitted.
The precise circumstances that caused the driver to lose control remain unclear. No official findings have been reported regarding whether road conditions, vehicle-related problems or other factors contributed to the accident.
The incident also highlights the importance of road safety in Bangladesh’s hill districts, where drivers may encounter winding roads, steep gradients and roadside ditches. Such conditions require particular caution, especially when vehicles are carrying several passengers.
However, authorities have not established whether any of these factors played a role in Friday’s accident.
The death of the young girl has brought a tragic end to a family journey that began with a visit to her maternal grandparents’ home.
Police have yet to announce any further developments in the case, while the possibility of legal proceedings remains dependent on the submission of a formal complaint, according to the officer-in-charge.
