Two people lost their lives in separate road accidents in Ullapara upazila of Sirajganj on Thursday afternoon, highlighting continuing concerns over road safety along one of Bangladesh’s busiest highways. The fatal incidents occurred on the Dhaka–Rajshahi Highway and near the Hatikumrul Interchange, with the vehicles involved fleeing the scenes in both cases.
Police said efforts are under way to identify the vehicles responsible and bring those involved to justice. Investigations into both incidents remain ongoing.
The first accident took place at around 12:00 pm in the Ramar Char area along the Dhaka–Rajshahi Highway. According to police and local witnesses, a battery-powered auto-rickshaw collided with a passenger bus, leaving the auto-rickshaw driver, Aftab Ali, 40, critically injured.
Eyewitnesses alleged that moments after the initial collision, a bus identified as National Travels ran over the injured driver before leaving the scene without stopping. Aftab Ali died instantly from his injuries.
The deceased was a resident of Diyarpara village in Ullapara upazila. He earned his living by driving a battery-powered auto-rickshaw, and his sudden death has left his family, relatives and neighbours in mourning. Local residents described him as a hardworking man whose livelihood depended entirely on daily earnings from transporting passengers.
Roughly an hour later, at about 1:00 pm, a second fatal accident occurred near the Hatikumrul Interchange. An unidentified elderly man, believed to be between 60 and 62 years old and reportedly a beggar, was struck by a speeding vehicle while attempting to cross the Bogura-bound section of the road.
The impact proved fatal, and he died at the scene. As in the earlier incident, the vehicle responsible fled immediately after the collision.
Police have not yet been able to establish the victim’s identity. Officers have circulated information to neighbouring police stations and are carrying out the necessary procedures to identify him. Authorities said they will contact his relatives as soon as his identity is confirmed.
Officer-in-Charge Md Ismail Hossain of Hatikumrul Highway Police Station confirmed both incidents. He said investigators are working to trace and seize the vehicles involved while collecting evidence from the accident sites and surrounding areas. Police are also examining available information that could assist in identifying those responsible.
The Dhaka–Rajshahi Highway is one of Bangladesh’s principal transport corridors, carrying thousands of passenger coaches, freight trucks and private vehicles every day. Heavy traffic, combined with speeding, unsafe overtaking, driver negligence and the presence of slow-moving local transport, has long contributed to a high number of road crashes on the route.
Road safety experts have repeatedly stressed that reducing accidents requires stricter enforcement of traffic laws, responsible driving, adherence to speed limits and greater awareness among pedestrians when crossing busy highways. High-risk junctions such as the Hatikumrul Interchange demand particular caution because of the constant movement of long-distance vehicles travelling at high speeds.
Police said legal proceedings have been initiated in connection with both accidents. The investigation remains focused on identifying the unidentified victim and locating the vehicles that fled the scenes so that appropriate legal action can be taken against those responsible.
