A devastating road accident claimed the life of a three-year-old girl in Chandpur’s Matlab Uttar upazila on Sunday morning after she was struck by a fast-moving, engine-driven trolley whilst crossing the road with her mother.
The fatal crash occurred at approximately 10:30 am on the paved road directly in front of Suruj Plaza in the bustling Chenggarchar Market area, situated just east of Matlab Uttar Police Station. The victim, identified as Fariya, was the daughter of Kawsar Bepari and Farjana Akter, residents of the Bepari household in Krishnapur village.
According to police sources and eye-witnesses, Fariya was holding her mother’s hand as they walked past Suruj Plaza towards the main market. Without warning, an engine-driven trolley travelling at high speed ploughed into the toddler, flinging her onto the hard tarmac and inflicting severe injuries. Local residents rushed to the scene to assist, quickly transporting the unconscious child to the Matlab Uttar Upazila Health Complex. Attending medical staff conducted an emergency examination before officially declaring her dead upon arrival, sparking scenes of intense grief amongst family members who had gathered at the facility.
Overcome with sorrow, Farjana Akter recounted the terrifying sequence of events. She explained that her daughter was holding her hand as they navigated the roadway when the heavy vehicle suddenly violently struck her. The grieving mother watched her child collapse onto the street, only to receive the unbearable confirmation of her death shortly after arriving at the medical centre. Calling for immediate accountability, she demanded strict legal penalties against reckless drivers so that no other family suffers a similar tragedy.
The fatal incident has reignited intense community anger over traffic safety across rural and semi-urban Bangladesh. Residents in Chenggarchar Market voiced strong dissatisfaction regarding the dangerous operation of improvised, diesel-engine trolleys—often locally manufactured using modified shallow agricultural pumps—in heavily congested pedestrian zones. These improvised vehicles lack basic safety mechanisms, formal registration, and functional braking systems, making them severe hazards on narrow market roads.
Officers from Matlab Uttar Police Station arrived promptly at the scene to restore order and commence preliminary enquiries. Officer-in-Charge Mohammad Kamrul Hasan confirmed that law enforcement personnel seized the involved vehicle and towed it to the police station for forensic inspection. The trolley driver fled the scene immediately following the collision to evade arrest. Police teams have launched a manhunt to identify, locate, and apprehend the absconding suspect, whilst formal legal proceedings regarding the fatal crash remain underway.
