The accident occurred at around 9pm near the Bhuinyabari Bridge in Sulpina, within Rupganj upazila. The deaths of the three young people have highlighted the dangers associated with unsafe road use, particularly when motorcycles are involved.
The deceased were identified as Rudra Mia, 16, Yamin, 15, and Shrabon Mia, 19.
Rudra was the son of Akhtar Mia, from the Dighirpar area of Alampur village in Rupganj Union. He was a Year 10 pupil at Abdul Haque Bhuiyan International School. Yamin, the son of Kamal Hossain, lived in the Beilartak area of Dakshinbag and was a Year 9 pupil at Baghber Ideal High School.
Their friend Shrabon was the son of Zillur Rahman, a resident of the Badda area of Dhaka. He had passed the Secondary School Certificate (SSC) examination that year and was studying in Year 11 at a college in the capital. He had travelled to Rupganj to visit his paternal aunt’s home in the Baghber CD Market area.
According to police and local sources, the three friends had set out on a motorcycle to explore the Purbachal area on Thursday afternoon. They were riding an unregistered motorcycle when the collision occurred.
The motorcycle was travelling against the direction of traffic along a service lane to the west of Bhuinyabari Bridge when it collided head-on with a lorry heading towards Kanchan. The lorry’s identity has not yet been established.
The impact killed Rudra and Yamin at the scene. Shrabon sustained serious injuries and was rescued before being taken to Ashiyan Medical College Hospital for treatment. Despite medical efforts, he died at around 11am on Friday, 23 October.
The deaths of the two school pupils and their college-going friend have turned what began as an outing into a tragedy for their families. All three were young, with their education and future prospects still ahead of them.
Sub-Inspector Mahmudur Rahman of Kanchan Highway Police said the bodies had been sent to the morgue for post-mortem examinations. He also confirmed that the lorry had fled the scene after the collision.
AHM Salauddin, officer-in-charge of Rupganj Police Station, said efforts were under way to identify the lorry and its driver and bring them into custody.
The investigation is expected to establish the circumstances surrounding the crash, including the vehicles’ movements immediately before the collision. The registration status of the motorcycle and its reported travel against the flow of traffic are also relevant to understanding the incident.
The case once again draws attention to the importance of following traffic rules, travelling in the correct direction and ensuring that vehicles meet registration requirements. Investigators will need to establish the precise sequence of events before responsibility for the collision can be determined.
