A 45-year-old man and his six-year-old daughter were killed when a fish-laden pick-up truck struck their auto-rickshaw in Muksedpur, Gopalganj, on Sunday morning. The fatal collision occurred on the Garakhola Bridge along the Dhaka-Khulna Highway, leaving two members of the same family dead.
The victims were identified as Saiful Islam Ronju, 45, and his daughter, Samira Akter, aged six. Ronju was the son of Hemayet Molla and came from Paban Beg village in Alfadanga upazila of Faridpur district.
According to Muksedpur police and local sources, the pick-up truck was travelling towards Gopalganj when it collided with an auto-rickshaw approaching from the opposite direction. The three-wheeler was heading towards Muksedpur. The truck struck and crushed the auto-rickshaw, leaving Ronju and his daughter seriously injured.
Local residents rushed to the scene after the collision and rescued the injured pair. They were taken to Muksedpur Upazila Health Complex, where the attending doctors declared both dead on arrival. The incident caused distress in the surrounding area, while the deaths of a father and his young daughter brought grief to their family.
Abdullah Al Mamun, officer-in-charge of Muksedpur Police Station, confirmed the deaths. He said the bodies would be handed over to the family after the necessary legal formalities had been completed.
The police have not disclosed detailed findings on what caused the collision. It remains unclear whether speeding, driver negligence or another factor contributed to the crash. Further investigation would be required to establish the precise circumstances.
The Dhaka-Khulna Highway is a major transport route connecting the capital with Bangladesh’s south-western region. It carries a wide range of vehicles, including buses, freight trucks, pick-up vans and smaller forms of passenger transport. As these vehicles share the same road, maintaining safe speeds, keeping an appropriate distance and following traffic regulations are essential to reducing the risk of serious collisions.
Auto-rickshaws generally provide less protection to passengers than larger vehicles in the event of a crash. Collisions involving heavy vehicles can therefore have devastating consequences for those travelling in smaller transport. Bridges and other sections of a highway also require particular care, especially when vehicles approach from opposite directions.
The deaths of Ronju and Samira have once again highlighted the human cost of road accidents. While the exact cause of Sunday’s collision remains unclear, the tragedy underlines the need for responsible driving and effective enforcement of road-safety rules. Establishing the circumstances of the crash through a proper investigation will be important in determining whether any further action is warranted.
