A 59-year-old battery-powered auto-rickshaw driver was killed after his vehicle was struck by a speeding Toyota Probox car in Mirsarai upazila of Chattogram on Tuesday, 20 October.
The accident occurred at approximately 5:30 pm in the Barotakia Bypass area of the Dhaka–Chattogram Highway, leaving the driver critically injured. He later died while being transferred to Chattogram Medical College Hospital (CMCH) for advanced treatment.
The deceased was identified as Sadek Mia, son of Mojibul Haque Mistry, from the Maulana Abdul Jabbar Bari residence in the Saidali area of Mayani Union No. 13 under Mirsarai upazila.
According to local sources, Sadek was travelling through the Barotakia Bazar bypass area in his battery-powered auto-rickshaw on Tuesday afternoon when a Probox car, reportedly moving at high speed, collided with his vehicle.
The impact left him seriously injured, with significant bleeding from his head.
Local residents rushed to the scene following the collision and rescued the injured driver. He was subsequently taken to a nearby hospital for emergency medical attention.
However, his physical condition deteriorated during treatment, prompting arrangements to transfer him to Chattogram Medical College Hospital, one of the major government healthcare facilities serving the region.
Despite efforts to secure further medical assistance, Sadek died on the way to the hospital.
An eyewitness, Md Faruk, described the circumstances surrounding the fatal collision.
According to Faruk, the Probox car struck Sadek’s auto-rickshaw while travelling at considerable speed near the Barotakia Bypass. The collision caused serious injuries, particularly to the victim’s head, resulting in substantial blood loss.
Faruk said the injured driver was initially taken for medical treatment before being referred to Chattogram Medical College Hospital as his condition worsened. Unfortunately, he succumbed to his injuries before reaching the hospital.
The incident occurred along the Dhaka–Chattogram Highway, a major transport corridor connecting the capital with the country’s principal port city. The highway carries substantial volumes of passenger and commercial traffic, making road safety an important concern, particularly where smaller vehicles share routes with faster-moving traffic.
The circumstances of Tuesday’s collision illustrate the potentially severe consequences of accidents involving comparatively vulnerable road users, including auto-rickshaw drivers.
Meanwhile, Asaduzzaman, the officer-in-charge of Jorarganj Highway Police Station, confirmed the death and said police had responded to the incident.
He stated that a police team was dispatched to the accident site immediately after authorities received information about the collision.
Officers were gathering details from the scene, and further information would be provided once the initial inquiries had been completed.
The available account did not establish whether the Probox driver had been identified or whether any legal action had been initiated in connection with the collision.
Police have yet to provide further details about the precise circumstances leading to the accident.
The death of Sadek Mia highlights the serious risks associated with collisions between fast-moving cars and smaller vehicles on busy highways. Further findings from the highway police are expected to clarify the sequence of events and circumstances surrounding the fatal crash.
