Three people were killed and at least seven others injured after a bus collided head-on with a cattle-laden Nasimon in Gurudaspur of Natore on Saturday morning.
The accident occurred at around 9am in the Nayabazar area of the Bonpara-Hatikumrul highway. Police said the bus was travelling from Dhaka, while the Nasimon was heading towards the Chandaikuna cattle market from the Bonpara area.
The deceased were identified as Abdur Rahman, 70, of Laxmikol neighbourhood in the municipal area of Baraigram upazila, and two brothers, Akkas Ali, 59, and Jahangir Hossain, 47, of Dhamania neighbourhood in the same upazila.
According to police and local sources, the Nasimon reached the Nayabazar section of the highway when it collided with the oncoming bus. The force of the impact caused several passengers travelling in the Nasimon to be thrown from the vehicle, leaving a number of them seriously injured.
Local residents rushed to the scene immediately after the crash and helped rescue the injured. They arranged for the victims to be taken to nearby hospitals for treatment. Abdur Rahman died at the scene.
Akkas Ali and his younger brother Jahangir Hossain were taken to hospital in critical condition. Despite receiving treatment, both later died. Arrangements were subsequently made to hand over the bodies to the relevant authorities for the necessary legal procedures.
At least seven other people were injured in the crash and were admitted to hospitals in Gurudaspur and Baraigram. Some of the injured are reportedly in serious condition. Authorities have not, however, confirmed any further deaths, and doctors have yet to provide additional information about the patients’ conditions.
Mohammad Moniruzzaman, officer-in-charge of Bonpara Highway Police Station, confirmed that three people had died in the accident. He said the injured were receiving medical treatment and that the necessary legal procedures were under way.
The crash also disrupted traffic on the Bonpara-Hatikumrul highway for some time. Vehicles involved in the collision remained on the road, creating congestion on both sides of the highway. Police later reached the scene, managed the situation and helped restore normal traffic movement.
The accident has again highlighted safety concerns surrounding the use of slow-moving local vehicles on busy highways. Nasimons are widely used in rural areas to transport livestock, agricultural goods and passengers, particularly on market days. Their presence on major highways alongside buses and other high-speed vehicles can create significant safety risks when traffic is heavy.
Local residents said the risk becomes more pronounced around busy market areas, where cattle and other goods are transported in large numbers. They called for greater enforcement of speed restrictions, safer movement of local transport and stronger monitoring of traffic on busy sections of the highway.
The precise circumstances that led to the collision, including whether excessive speed, driver error, road conditions or other factors were involved, have not yet been established. Police said the cause would become clear once the incident was properly investigated and the relevant legal procedures completed.
