Two people were killed and two others injured after a CNG-powered auto-rickshaw, a pickup and a private car were involved in a three-vehicle collision on the Chandpur–Cumilla highway on Tuesday afternoon.
The accident took place in the Mandari area, near Mahamaya, in Chandpur Sadar upazila, according to police and local sources. The crash occurred when the auto-rickshaw, travelling towards Hajiganj with passengers, became involved in a chain collision after a private car travelling ahead suddenly braked.
According to the account provided by police and local residents, the auto-rickshaw was travelling from Chandpur towards Hajiganj. When the vehicles reached the Mandari section of the highway, the private car in front suddenly slowed down and applied its brakes. The auto-rickshaw behind it could not maintain control and collided with the car.
The auto-rickshaw then moved into the path of a pickup, resulting in a three-way collision. The force of the crash threw the auto-rickshaw’s driver and passengers onto the road. Four people travelling in the auto-rickshaw were injured in the incident.
Local residents responded quickly after the crash and helped rescue the injured. They were taken to the 250-bed Chandpur Sadar Hospital for treatment.
One of the passengers, 60-year-old Mohor Ali, died at the scene before he could be taken to hospital. He was from Fatehpur area of Kachua upazila in Chandpur and was the son of the late Omar Ali.
The auto-rickshaw driver, Kabir Mal, was also seriously injured in the collision. He was taken to Chandpur Sadar Hospital, where doctors later declared him dead while he was undergoing treatment.
The other two injured people received treatment at the hospital. No further details about their identities or medical conditions were immediately available.
The accident temporarily disrupted traffic on the Chandpur–Cumilla highway. Vehicles travelling through the area faced delays following the collision, causing inconvenience for passengers and other road users. Traffic movement returned to normal after the situation was brought under control.
Foyez Ahmed, officer-in-charge of Chandpur Sadar Model Police Station, confirmed that two people had died in the three-vehicle collision. He said the bodies were handed over to the families after the necessary legal procedures had been completed.
The incident has also highlighted the risks associated with sudden braking and insufficient following distances on busy highways. When vehicles travel too closely together, a sudden change in speed by a vehicle ahead can leave those behind with very little time to react.
Police have not provided any further details about other possible factors behind the crash. The immediate sequence described by local sources indicates that the sudden braking of the private car preceded the collision involving the auto-rickshaw and the pickup. The accident serves as another reminder of the need for drivers to remain alert and maintain a safe distance while travelling on busy roads.
