A tragic accident in Rajapur upazila of Jhalkathi has claimed the life of a BRAC field worker after he was struck by a heavy excavator on a regional highway, casting a pall of grief over the local community.
The deceased, identified as 28-year-old Md. Sihab Uddin from Mahilara village in Gournadi upazila of Barishal, was serving as a field worker in BRAC’s Bhandaria branch. He was commuting regularly between his workplace and home on a motorcycle as part of his daily professional duties.
The incident occurred on Monday at around 9:30 a.m. along the Barishal–Bhandaria regional highway in the southern part of Rajapur. According to eyewitness accounts and local sources, an excavator being used for canal excavation work was moving from a roadside construction site onto the highway at the same time that Sihab Uddin was passing through the area on his motorcycle.
Witnesses reported that the moving arm or bucket of the excavator suddenly swung into his path and struck his head with extreme force. The impact proved fatal, and he is believed to have died instantly at the scene.
Panic spread quickly among passers-by and local residents, who rushed to the spot in an attempt to assist. Police from Rajapur Police Station later arrived, recovered the body, and transported it to the police station for legal procedures. Authorities confirmed that the excavator operator fled the scene immediately after the incident.
Law enforcement officials stated that an investigation has been launched to identify and apprehend the driver, while also examining whether proper safety protocols were followed during the excavation work near a busy highway.
Local residents have expressed concern that inadequate safety measures during mechanised excavation along major roads have repeatedly led to preventable accidents. They emphasised that the absence of traffic control, warning signs, and physical barriers around heavy machinery significantly increases the risk to commuters.
The incident has reignited public debate on road safety and the regulation of construction activities adjacent to highways. Community members and observers have urged stricter enforcement of safety guidelines, particularly when heavy machinery operates near active traffic routes.
Authorities have stressed the need for coordinated action between local administration, construction companies, and road safety regulators to ensure stricter supervision of heavy machinery operations near public roads.
Comments