A tragic road accident claimed the life of a 17-year-old motorcyclist and left two others critically injured on Thursday morning along the Joypurhat-Hili regional highway. The incident, which occurred in front of Kashiabari High School in Joypurhat Sadar Upazila, sparked intense anger among local residents, who subsequently set fire to the passenger bus involved in the crash.
The deceased has been identified as Ashif Hossain, son of Imran Hossain from Hatigara village in Sadar Upazila. Ashif worked as an employee at ‘Joypur Sweets’, a well-known local confectionery establishment in Joypurhat town. Traveling alongside him on the motorcycle were two fellow villagers, Naim, 22, and Jihad, 20. Both surviving riders sustained severe injuries and remain under intensive medical care.
According to eyewitnesses, the passenger bus was traveling at high speed from Joypurhat town towards the border town of Hili. At around 10:15 am, as the bus reached the Kashiabari area, it collided head-on with the oncoming motorcycle carrying the three young men. Rather than coming to an immediate halt, the bus dragged the motorcycle and its three occupants along the tarmac for nearly 50 metres. Local bystanders shouted and attempted to signal the driver to stop, but their immediate efforts were unsuccessful as the vehicle continued its momentum.
The bus finally came to a stop near the main gates of Kashiabari High School, where an incensed crowd quickly gathered and blocked the road to prevent the vehicle from fleeing. Recognizing the volatile atmosphere, members of the public safely evacuated the passengers on board before setting the vehicle alight on the highway. The fire rapidly engulfed the structure, causing severe damage to the interior seating, roof, and mechanical components, while temporarily paralyzing traffic along the busy inter-district route.
Upon receiving emergency calls, teams from the Joypurhat Fire Service and Civil Defence rushed to the scene to extinguish the blaze. Fire Service Warehouse Inspector Md Rubel Rana stated that firefighters laboured for approximately half an hour before bringing the flames under full control. Although crews managed to prevent the total structural collapse of the bus frame, the interior of the vehicle was completely gutted by the fire.
Rescuers and local residents managed to extract the three severely injured youths from the crash site and transported them hastily to Joypurhat General Hospital. However, attending physicians pronounced Ashif dead shortly after his arrival at the emergency department. Hospital authorities confirmed that the two surviving victims, Naim and Jihad, remain in critical condition as doctors work to stabilize their injuries.
Confirming the details of the fatal crash, Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Joypurhat Sadar Police Station, Nure Alam Siddique, stated that Ashif’s body has been placed in the hospital morgue for a post-mortem examination. Law enforcement officers have secured the area and initiated formal legal proceedings to investigate the circumstances surrounding the collision, including allegations of reckless driving and speeding by the bus operator.
