Two people, including the driver of a passenger bus, were killed and at least eight others injured after a goods-laden truck rammed the bus in Sirajganj early on Saturday.
The accident occurred at around 1.30am on Saturday, 8 August, beneath the Nalka Overpass on the Jamuna Bridge West Link Highway. The passenger bus was travelling from Dinajpur to Chattogram when the collision took place.
According to police, the bus was passing beneath the Nalka Overpass when a goods truck, travelling from the direction of Sirajganj town, struck it while attempting to ascend the overpass. The impact left the bus severely damaged.
The bus driver and another passenger died at the scene, police said. At least eight other passengers sustained injuries in the crash. Their conditions were not immediately known.
Police and Fire Service personnel rushed to the scene after receiving information about the accident. Rescue workers removed injured passengers from the damaged bus and sent them to hospital for medical treatment. The bodies of the two deceased were recovered and taken to Sirajganj Medical College Hospital.
The identities of the victims had not been established immediately after the crash. Police said efforts were under way to identify both the deceased and injured passengers and to inform their relatives once their identities were confirmed.
Sub-Inspector Ranjan Debnath of Jamuna Bridge West Police Station said the bus was on a long-distance journey from Dinajpur to Chattogram. The truck, meanwhile, had come from Sirajganj town and was climbing towards the Nalka Overpass when it collided with the bus.
The crash briefly created confusion and panic on the highway. Rescue operations were carried out while traffic continued to move through the area, and steps were subsequently taken to remove the damaged vehicles and restore normal traffic flow.
The immediate cause of the collision was not known. Police said they were examining the circumstances surrounding the crash, including how the two vehicles came into contact at the overpass.
The incident has again highlighted the risks faced by passengers and drivers on major highways, particularly during overnight journeys when visibility, fatigue and heavy vehicle movements can become significant safety concerns. The Jamuna Bridge West Link Highway is an important route connecting northern Bangladesh with other parts of the country, carrying long-distance passenger and freight traffic.
Police said the investigation would continue alongside efforts to establish the identities of those involved. Further details about the victims and the precise circumstances of the collision were expected to emerge after the investigation and identification process progressed.
