Three people were killed when a passenger bus collided head-on with a CNG-powered auto-rickshaw in Sreemangal upazila of Moulvibazar on Tuesday night.
The accident occurred at around 8.30pm on 22 September in the Lachhna area, in front of the Satgaon Highway Police Station. The collision involved a passenger bus travelling from Sreemangal towards Mirpur and a CNG-powered auto-rickshaw approaching from the opposite direction.
One of the three victims has been identified as Joy Singh, 23, son of Amrit Singh from the Mazdihi area of Bhairabganj Bazar in Sreemangal upazila. The identities of the other two victims had not been established immediately after the accident.
According to eyewitnesses and police, the passenger bus operated by Alam Asia Paribahan was travelling towards Mirpur when it reached the Lachhna area. At roughly the same time, the auto-rickshaw was approaching from the opposite direction. The two vehicles collided head-on, leaving the smaller vehicle severely damaged.
The impact caused serious injuries to the occupants of the auto-rickshaw. All three victims suffered severe blood loss and died before they could receive medical treatment, according to doctors at Sreemangal Upazila Health Complex.
Dr Naveed Raiyan Bin Shahid, a physician in the emergency department of the health complex, said the three victims were brought to the hospital at around 9pm. However, medical staff found that they had already died before reaching the facility.
The accident prompted an immediate response from local residents and police. Officers from the Satgaon Highway Police Station recovered the bodies from the crash site and took them to Sreemangal Upazila Health Complex for the necessary procedures.
Mamunur Rahman, officer-in-charge of Sreemangal Satgaon Highway Police Station, confirmed the deaths and said the bodies of all three victims had been recovered. He said the identity of one victim was established from the national identity card found in his pocket.
Efforts were continuing to identify the other two victims. Police said information gathered during the identification process would be used to locate their relatives and complete the necessary formalities.
The bodies are currently being kept at Sreemangal Upazila Health Complex. Police said post-mortem examinations and other legal procedures would be completed before the bodies are handed over to the families.
The precise circumstances that led to the head-on collision have not yet been established. Details including how the two vehicles approached each other and the factors that contributed to the crash are expected to be examined as part of the subsequent process.
The incident has caused concern in the area, particularly because the collision involved a passenger bus and a smaller three-wheeled vehicle. Such crashes can result in serious consequences for auto-rickshaw occupants because of the considerable difference in size and protection between the vehicles.
For the families of the victims, however, the immediate concern remains the identification and recovery of their loved ones. While Joy Singh’s identity has been confirmed, the process of establishing the identities of the remaining two victims was still under way following the crash.
Police said the required legal procedures would be followed before the bodies are released to their respective relatives. Further details about the circumstances of the accident are expected to emerge as the authorities complete their assessment of the incident.
