A 32-year-old motorcyclist died instantly after being struck by an oncoming passenger bus on the Patuakhali–Kuakata highway on Thursday morning. The incident occurred at approximately 8:00 am in the Dhalugajir Moor area, situated within Patuakhali Sadar Upazila.

The victim was identified as Md Atik, son of Maulana Ashraf Howlader, hailing from Jamura village under the Laukathi Union of Patuakhali Sadar Upazila.

According to police sources and local eyewitnesses, Atik was travelling along the arterial highway on his motorcycle when a speeding passenger bus operated by Sikder Paribahan, coming from the opposite direction, collided head-on with his vehicle. The impact violently threw Atik onto the tarmac, inflicting fatal injuries. He died at the scene before medical assistance could reach him.

Following the fatal collision, the driver of the Sikder Paribahan bus fled the area immediately, speeding away from the site. Upon receiving reports from local residents, officers from Patuakhali Sadar Police Station dispatched a team to the location. Police recovered Atik’s body and seized the damaged motorcycle from the road.

The tragic accident severely disrupted traffic on the busy Patuakhali–Kuakata highway, a major regional corridor connecting the district capital to the popular coastal town of Kuakata. Vehicular movement at Dhalugajir Moor remained suspended for nearly 45 minutes as police cleared the wreckage and managed the gathering crowd. Traffic flow gradually returned to normal once the roadway was cleared.

Confirming the incident, Moniruzzaman, Officer-in-Charge of Patuakhali Sadar Police Station, stated that law enforcement agencies have initiated an investigation. Police officers are currently working to trace the fleeing bus, identify the driver, and bring those responsible to justice under existing transport and traffic laws. Legal proceedings regarding the incident are currently under way.