Cancer Patient Injured as Ambulance Crashes En Route to Dhaka

A 75-year-old cancer patient suffered a broken right leg after an ambulance carrying him to Dhaka for advanced medical treatment veered off the road and crashed in a roadside ditch in Jhalakathi on Monday. Four members of his family and the ambulance driver were also injured in the accident.

The crash occurred at around 11am in the Raipur area of Nalchity upazila on the Barishal–Jhalakathi regional highway. The injured patient was identified as Fazlul Haque, a salt trader from the Palbari area of Jhalakathi Sadar upazila.

According to family members, Haque has been living with cancer for a long time and regularly travels to Dhaka for medical consultations, diagnostic tests and follow-up treatment. He had set out for the capital on Monday with relatives in a private ambulance for a scheduled medical examination. The journey, however, was interrupted when the vehicle crashed before reaching its destination.

The other injured passengers were identified as Haque’s son, Riazul Islam, 45; daughter-in-law, Afroza Begum, 40; son-in-law, Mamun Hossain, 55; and grandson, Palak Hossain, 22. The ambulance driver was also injured, although his name and address were not immediately available.

Police and local witnesses said the ambulance was travelling from Jhalakathi towards Dhaka when the driver lost control of the vehicle at some point in the Raipur area. The ambulance then reportedly slammed into a roadside tree before plunging into a ditch beside the highway. The impact left the passengers injured and damaged the vehicle.

People living nearby rushed to the scene after hearing about the accident. Police from Nalchity Police Station also arrived shortly afterwards. With the assistance of local residents and police personnel, the injured passengers were brought out of the damaged ambulance and taken for medical care.

Haque’s nephew, Matin Rahman, said his uncle travels to Dhaka almost every month as part of his ongoing treatment. He said Haque had been travelling on Monday for routine medical tests and consultation when the accident occurred in Raipur. The crash caused a serious injury to his right leg, adding to the difficulties associated with his long-term cancer treatment.

Following the accident, Haque was initially taken to Jhalakathi Sadar Hospital, where he received primary treatment. Family members later arranged another ambulance to take him to Dhaka for further and more specialised medical care. The other injured relatives were treated at Barishal Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital.

The exact cause of the crash was not immediately established. Authorities have not yet provided details about why the driver lost control of the ambulance. Whether excessive speed, driver inattention, road conditions or another factor contributed to the accident remains unclear and may be determined through further investigation.

Accidents involving ambulances can have particularly serious consequences because the vehicles are often transporting patients who already require urgent or specialised medical attention. A crash during such a journey can delay scheduled treatment, interrupt medical monitoring and place additional physical strain on vulnerable patients. In Haque’s case, the accident not only caused a fracture but also disrupted his planned journey to Dhaka for medical tests and follow-up care.

Nalchity Police Station said the injured people had been rescued and arrangements were made to ensure they received medical treatment. Police are collecting information about the incident and the circumstances surrounding the crash.