Eight-Year-Old Girl Killed in Tractor Collision on Highway

An eight-year-old girl was killed after being thrown from a motorcycle and crushed beneath a tractor while travelling home with her parents in Boda Upazila of Panchagarh district. The tragic road accident also left both of her parents seriously injured and has once again highlighted concerns over road safety on Bangladesh’s highways.

The fatal incident occurred at around 7:30 pm on Wednesday on the Panchagarh–Dhaka Highway near Holdiapukur in Moydan Dighi Union. The collision took place in front of the Boda Highway Police Station.

The deceased, Khushi Rani, was the daughter of Kukil Chandra and Surma Rani of Bandarpara in Mareya Bamonhat Union under Boda Upazila.

According to police and local representatives, the family had spent the evening visiting relatives in Panchagarh district town. After attending a family invitation, they were returning home on a motorcycle when the accident occurred. Khushi Rani was seated at the front of the motorcycle as her parents travelled along the highway.

As they reached the Holdiapukur area, a speeding tractor approached from behind and struck the motorcycle. The force of the impact threw all three occupants onto the road. Khushi Rani fell directly into the path of the tractor, and one of its wheels ran over her abdomen, causing devastating injuries.

Local residents rushed to the scene and, with the assistance of officers from Boda Highway Police Station, rescued the injured family members. They were taken to Boda Upazila Health Complex in critical condition. Doctors later declared Khushi Rani dead upon arrival, while her parents were admitted for treatment. Their current condition has not been disclosed.

Witnesses said the tractor driver fled immediately after the crash, abandoning the vehicle at the scene. Police subsequently secured the tractor and began efforts to trace the driver.

Officer-in-Charge Mamun Or Rashid of Boda Highway Police Station confirmed that the child had been travelling on the motorcycle with her parents when the tractor struck them from behind. She was thrown onto the road and fatally crushed beneath the tractor’s wheel.

The incident serves as another stark reminder of the dangers posed by reckless driving and heavy vehicles operating on busy highways. Investigators are expected to examine the circumstances surrounding the collision, while police continue their efforts to identify and apprehend the absconding tractor driver. The accident has left the victim’s family and local community in mourning.