Five people, including a six-year-old child, were killed and six others injured after a lorry struck passengers who had got off a bus because of a mechanical fault in Sitakunda, Chattogram.
The accident occurred at around 2am on Tuesday, 27 October, in the Kumira Royal Gate area of Sitakunda upazila. The passengers had been travelling from Chattogram to Netrokona when their bus developed a mechanical problem, according to police.
The deceased have been identified as Ibrahim, a six-year-old boy from Netrokona, and a woman named Swapna. The identities of the other three victims have yet to be established, and police are working to identify them.
According to the information provided by police, the bus was heading towards Netrokona from Chattogram when it encountered difficulties in the Kumira area. The passengers got off the vehicle and stood beside the road while the bus was stopped.
A speeding lorry then struck them, leaving several people seriously injured. Three people died at the scene. The injured were subsequently rescued and taken to hospital, where two more victims died, bringing the death toll to five.
The six injured passengers have been admitted to Chattogram Medical College Hospital, where they are receiving treatment. Further details about their conditions have not been made available.
Police are continuing efforts to establish the identities of the three victims who remain unidentified. No further information has been provided about the lorry driver, the precise circumstances of the collision or whether any legal action has been initiated in connection with the incident.
The tragedy highlights the dangers faced by passengers who are forced to leave a vehicle after a breakdown on a busy road, particularly at night. When a bus becomes immobilised, passengers standing close to moving traffic can be exposed to serious risks, especially if approaching vehicles are travelling at high speed.
Roadside breakdowns require particular caution, as visibility may be limited and drivers may have little time to react to unexpected obstacles or people near the carriageway. Moving passengers to a safe location away from traffic, where possible, and ensuring that approaching motorists receive adequate warning can help reduce such risks.
However, the precise circumstances surrounding this collision remain unclear, and further details would be needed to determine the factors that contributed to the crash.
The incident has left five people dead and six injured, while the families of the victims face the consequences of the sudden loss. Police efforts to identify the remaining victims and establish the circumstances of the accident are continuing.
