A tragic road accident in Dhamrai, Dhaka, claimed three lives on Thursday, including a woman and a child, after a head-on collision between a pickup van and a CNG-driven auto-rickshaw.
The collision occurred around 3:30 pm on the Kalampur-Saturia regional highway, near the Tiger Bricks facility at Nandeswari Bottala within Amta Union. Three other passengers sustained injuries during the crash.
The deceased have been identified as Akhi Begum, aged 30, Md Jakariya, aged 12, and the auto-rickshaw driver, Jewel.
Local police confirmed that the auto-rickshaw was carrying members of a family alongside the driver when a speeding pickup van travelling in the opposite direction struck it head-on. The impact crushed the three-wheeler, leaving several passengers pinned inside. Local residents rushed to the scene to rescue the victims and arranged immediate transportation to the nearby Saturia Fifty-Bed Sub-District Health Complex in Manikganj. Medical staff confirmed three deaths whilst administering emergency treatment.
Dhamrai Police Station Officer-in-Charge Najmul Huda Khan stated that four occupants arrived at the health complex in critical condition before three succumbed to their injuries. Family members revealed that Akhi Begum had been childless for several years and was travelling with her husband, father, and nephew to a spiritual shrine to offer prayers for a child, alongside attending a social gathering.
Abul Hossain, Akhi Begum’s surviving father, recalled the horrifying moment when the pickup van collided with their vehicle, killing his daughter, his grandson, and the driver, whilst leaving him and his son-in-law, Selim Ahmed, injured.
In-Charge of the Kawalipara Police Outpost, Md Elias, confirmed that the bodies remain at the hospital for necessary procedures. Police forces have launched an investigation to trace the fugitive pickup van and apprehend its driver.
Dr Md Rokenuzzaman, the attending physician at Saturia Sub-District Health Complex, reported that one critically injured survivor was transferred to Dhaka Medical College Hospital for advanced treatment, whilst two others received primary medical care locally. Regional thoroughfares like the Kalampur-Saturia highway face ongoing concerns over reckless driving, highlighting the urgent need for stricter traffic monitoring on rural roads.
