A tragic road accident in Naogaon’s Badalgachhi upazila has claimed the life of a school teacher and, in a separate but related incident, led to the sudden death of a student after she reportedly suffered a severe medical collapse upon hearing the news.
The deceased teacher has been identified as Umme Kulsum (48), an assistant teacher at the Badalgachhi Labonno Prova Community Girls’ High School. Another teacher, Momtaz Khatun (50) from the same institution, was also injured in the crash and is currently receiving treatment at Badalgachhi Upazila Health Complex. The student who died following the incident is Tasnim Ara (13), an eighth-grade pupil of the same school and daughter of Abul Kalam Chowdhury of Jognathpur village.
According to eyewitness accounts and local sources, the two teachers were travelling to Rajshahi Education Board to collect examination scripts. Around 1:00 pm, they set out from Badalgachhi in a CNG-run auto-rickshaw heading towards Mahadevpur upazila town. As they reached the Chokrail Mor area on the Badalgachhi–Mataji road, their vehicle collided head-on with a mobile rice-threshing machine coming from the opposite direction. The impact left both teachers critically injured.
They were immediately rescued and taken to Badalgachhi Upazila Health Complex, where attending doctors declared Umme Kulsum dead on arrival. Momtaz Khatun is undergoing treatment for her injuries.
Shortly after the news of the teacher’s death reached the school, student Tasnim Ara reportedly became severely distressed and suddenly fell ill while on campus. Teachers and classmates rushed her to the same health complex, where doctors declared her dead upon arrival.
Duty medical officer Dr Shamim Yasar stated that Umme Kulsum was brought to the hospital at approximately 1:20 pm and was already deceased, suffering from severe head trauma. Tasnim Ara was brought in around 1:50 pm. He noted that the student’s sudden collapse may have been triggered by extreme psychological shock, potentially leading to disrupted brain blood flow or cardiac failure.
School headmaster Jahangir Alam expressed deep grief, stating that the institution has been overwhelmed with mourning and disbelief following the dual tragedy. He said the losses were “unbearable” and had left the entire school community emotionally devastated.
Badalgachhi Police Station Inspector (Investigation) Nazrul Islam confirmed the incident and said both the auto-rickshaw and the mobile rice-threshing vehicle involved in the collision have been seized and taken into police custody. No formal complaint had been filed at the time of reporting.
Summary of Victims and Incident
| Name | Age | Role | Incident Outcome | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Umme Kulsum | 48 | Assistant Teacher | Road traffic collision | Died at hospital |
| Momtaz Khatun | 50 | Assistant Teacher | Road traffic collision | Under treatment |
| Tasnim Ara | 13 | Student (Class 8) | Severe shock after news | Declared dead at hospital |
The double tragedy has cast a deep shadow over the local education community, with both staff and students mourning an event that unfolded within hours and left irreversible loss in its wake.