Two people were killed when a CNG-powered auto-rickshaw was crushed after two trucks collided on the Dhaka–Sylhet Highway in Madhabpur, Habiganj, on Sunday afternoon.
The accident occurred at around 2.30pm in the Bejura area of Madhabpur upazila. According to police and eyewitnesses, a sand-laden truck travelling towards Dhaka collided head-on with an oil tanker heading towards Sylhet. The impact caused the sand truck to veer into the path of a CNG-powered auto-rickshaw travelling alongside the vehicles, leaving it trapped underneath.
The two victims were identified as Abul Khayer, 45, a resident of Paschim Madhabpur, and Ripon Mia, 27, from Ratnapur village. Khayer was the driver of the auto-rickshaw, while Ripon was working as the helper of one of the trucks.
Police said the sand-laden truck was registered as Sylhet-Dha-41-0074, while the oil tanker carried the registration number Mymensingh-Cha-11-0800. The collision between the heavy vehicles occurred suddenly, leaving little opportunity for the nearby auto-rickshaw to move out of the way.
The force of the crash caused extensive damage to the auto-rickshaw. Both Khayer and Ripon died at the scene, according to officials. Their deaths added to the risks faced by smaller vehicles using major highways alongside heavy commercial traffic.
After receiving information about the accident, a team from Madhabpur Fire Service and Civil Defence reached the scene under the leadership of station officer Montosh Mallik. Fire service personnel carried out a recovery operation and retrieved the bodies from the wreckage.
The three vehicles involved in the crash were subsequently taken into the custody of the Shaistaganj Highway Police for further examination. Authorities are expected to assess the circumstances surrounding the collision as part of the investigation.
Shubho Ranjan Chakma, officer-in-charge of the highway police station, said the bodies had been sent to a hospital. He also said that traffic movement along the highway had returned to normal after the accident.
The Dhaka–Sylhet Highway is a major transport route connecting the capital with Sylhet and serving a large volume of passenger and commercial traffic. Accidents involving heavy vehicles on such busy roads can have serious consequences for smaller vehicles, particularly auto-rickshaws and other road users travelling close to trucks.
The immediate cause of the collision has not been established by the authorities. Further investigation will be required to determine how the two trucks collided and whether factors such as speed, road conditions or driver error contributed to the accident.
