Two separate road accidents in Dhaka’s Demra area left one person dead and four others injured late on Sunday night, raising fresh concerns over road safety and the movement of heavy vehicles on the capital’s roads after dark.
The deceased was identified as Saiful Islam, 35, a ride-sharing motorbike driver who was originally from Narsingdi. Police said he sustained critical injuries after being struck by a covered van near Sufia Kamal Bridge in the Demra area at around 11pm.
Following the crash, local residents came forward to rescue the injured man and arrange for his transfer to hospital. He was eventually taken to the emergency department of Dhaka Medical College Hospital at about 2:15am. Doctors examined him and declared him dead.
Police said the covered van involved in the accident was seized after the incident and its driver was detained. Saiful’s body was subsequently kept at the hospital morgue.
Sub-Inspector Mohammad Saddam of Demra Police Station said authorities were examining the circumstances surrounding the collision. Investigators are expected to assess the movements of the vehicles, road conditions and the actions of the drivers before determining the precise cause of the crash.
The second accident occurred at around midnight in the Mastumajhi area of Demra, near a police checkpoint. A sand-laden lorry collided with another covered van, leaving four people injured.
The injured were identified as Russell Mia, 35; Rezaul Karim, 25; Mohammad Shahjahan, 32; and Farhad, 42. Rescue efforts were carried out shortly after the collision, and the four men were taken to the emergency department of Dhaka Medical College Hospital at around 3am.
Inspector Mohammad Faruk of the Dhaka Medical College Hospital police outpost confirmed that the four injured men were receiving treatment in the emergency department. Their detailed medical conditions were not immediately available.
The two crashes occurred within roughly an hour of each other and in separate parts of the same police jurisdiction. The incidents have caused concern among residents, particularly over the risks faced by motorcyclists and other smaller vehicles when sharing roads with heavy commercial traffic at night.
Road safety experts have long highlighted excessive speed, inadequate caution, poor visibility and interactions between heavy and light vehicles as significant risks on urban roads. Covered vans, lorries and other large vehicles can cause particularly severe injuries when they collide with motorcycles because riders have far less physical protection.
Night-time traffic conditions can also make hazards harder to detect. Sudden lane changes, insufficient lighting, driver fatigue and limited reaction time may increase the likelihood of serious collisions, although none of these factors has been established as the cause of either Demra accident.
Police said separate investigations into the two incidents were under way. Authorities are also verifying information about the vehicles and drivers involved and will take legal action based on the findings.
The incidents once again highlight the need for greater caution among drivers, stricter compliance with speed and traffic regulations, and improved protection for vulnerable road users on Dhaka’s increasingly congested streets.
