The accident occurred around midday at the WAPDA intersection roundabout in the town. The deceased, Ariful Islam, was a resident of Dolapara in the WAPDA Noyahat area of Syedpur. His daughter, Supti, a Class Five pupil, sustained serious injuries in the collision.
According to eyewitnesses and police sources, Ariful was returning home with his daughter on a motorcycle after school had finished for the day. As they were crossing the WAPDA roundabout, a speeding passenger bus travelling from Dinajpur struck their motorcycle with considerable force.
The impact sent the motorcycle out of control. The bus reportedly dragged the motorcycle and its rider along the road for some distance. Ariful sustained fatal head injuries when his head was crushed under the vehicle’s wheels. He died at the scene.
His daughter Supti was also seriously injured in the collision. She is a pupil at Golahat Natun Kuri School in Syedpur, where her mother works as a teacher.
Local residents rescued the injured child and rushed her to Syedpur 100-Bed Hospital for initial treatment. Given the severity of her injuries, doctors subsequently referred her to Rangpur Medical College Hospital for more advanced medical care.
The incident sparked anger and grief among local residents, particularly as the accident involved a father and his young daughter returning home from school. News of Ariful’s death and his daughter’s injuries quickly spread through the area, prompting residents to take to the streets in protest.
Angry locals blocked the road near the accident site, bringing traffic on the Nilphamari, Rangpur and Dinajpur highways to a standstill. The blockade triggered severe congestion, leaving vehicles stranded on both sides of the affected roads and causing considerable inconvenience to commuters.
Police from Syedpur Police Station rushed to the scene after receiving information about the accident and attempted to bring the situation under control.
During the protest, residents raised concerns about the safety of the WAPDA roundabout, alleging that randomly installed banners and festoons around the intersection obstruct drivers’ visibility. According to them, these promotional materials prevent motorists from clearly seeing vehicles approaching from the opposite direction, increasing the risk of collisions.
The protesters argued that an intersection used by vehicles travelling in different directions must have clear sightlines to allow drivers to assess traffic conditions and manoeuvre safely. They demanded the immediate removal of all banners and festoons from the roundabout, saying that such obstructions should not be allowed to compromise public safety.
They also called on the authorities to take prompt action to address the problems at the intersection rather than waiting for further accidents to occur.
Senior local administration officials eventually arrived at the scene and held discussions with the protesters. They gave firm assurances that the demands raised by residents would be addressed promptly.
Following the assurances, the demonstrators withdrew their blockade after nearly four hours. Traffic movement along the highways gradually returned to normal.
The fatal collision has once again drawn attention to road safety concerns at busy intersections, particularly the importance of maintaining unobstructed visibility for motorists. Banners, festoons and other roadside installations can create hazards when they interfere with drivers’ views of approaching traffic.
For residents of Syedpur, the immediate concern is ensuring that the WAPDA roundabout becomes safer for everyone using it. They want the administration to act on their demands and take practical steps to prevent similar tragedies.
Ariful’s death has left a family grieving, while his young daughter remains in hospital receiving treatment for serious injuries. The tragedy has also intensified local calls for greater attention to road safety and the removal of potential hazards from busy roads.
