Two teenage girls have died after being run over by a speeding truck in Shyamoli, in the capital Dhaka. The accident occurred at around 5.30 am on Friday beneath the Shyamoli intersection footbridge.
Both victims were under 18. Police have identified one of the girls by her first name, Mukta, while the identity of the other victim remains unknown.
Mohammadpur Police Station Sub-Inspector Md Jony told the media that the two girls were crossing the road together when a speeding truck struck them and drove away.
One of the girls died at the scene. The other, who was critically injured, managed to tell rescuers that her name was Mukta before being taken to Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College Hospital by police.
Mukta later died while receiving treatment at the hospital.
The bodies of both victims have been kept at the hospital’s morgue, police said.
According to Sub-Inspector Jony, officers were unable to stop the truck immediately after the accident, which occurred in the early hours of the morning. Police are working to establish the identities of the victims and gather information about the vehicle involved.
The truck and its driver had not been identified at the time of reporting.
The incident has once again raised concerns about pedestrian safety on Dhaka’s busy roads. Early-morning traffic, speeding vehicles and the risks faced by people crossing major intersections remain significant road-safety concerns in the capital.
Further details about the circumstances of the accident and the identity of the driver are expected to emerge as the police investigation progresses.
