Two people were killed and two others injured after a CNG-powered auto-rickshaw, a pickup and a private car collided on the Chandpur–Cumilla highway in Chandpur Sadar upazila on Tuesday afternoon.
The accident occurred in the Mandari area near Mahamaya, according to local residents and police. The collision involved three vehicles and left the auto-rickshaw severely damaged, with its occupants thrown onto the road.
Police and local sources said the CNG-powered auto-rickshaw was travelling from Chandpur towards Hajiganj carrying passengers. When it reached the Mandari area, a private car travelling ahead suddenly braked. The auto-rickshaw, which was following behind, lost control and struck the private car before moving into the path of a pickup.
The impact resulted in a three-way collision. The driver and passengers of the auto-rickshaw were thrown onto the highway, leaving four people injured initially. Local people rushed to the scene and rescued the injured before taking them 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 a resident of Fatehpur village in Kachua upazila of Chandpur and the son of the late Omar Ali.
The auto-rickshaw driver, Kabir Mal, was also critically injured in the crash. He was taken to the hospital, where doctors later declared him dead while receiving treatment.
The remaining two injured people received treatment at the hospital. No further details about their identities or conditions were immediately available.
The crash temporarily disrupted traffic on the Chandpur–Cumilla highway. Vehicles travelling through the area faced delays as the accident affected movement along the busy road. Traffic returned to normal after the situation was brought under control.
Chandpur Sadar Model Police Station officer-in-charge (OC) Foyez Ahmed confirmed that two people had died in the three-vehicle collision. He said the bodies were handed over to their families after the necessary legal procedures had been completed.
The accident also highlights the risks created when vehicles travel too closely together on busy highways. A sudden reduction in speed or emergency braking by a vehicle can leave drivers behind with little time to react, particularly when they are not maintaining a safe following distance.
Police have not provided further details about whether any other factors contributed to the collision. The incident has nevertheless drawn attention to the need for greater caution when driving on the highway, particularly around areas where traffic movement can change suddenly.
