Two Killed as Dhaka-Bound Bus Crashes into Broken-Down Truck

Two people, including a bus helper, were killed and at least seven others injured when a Dhaka-bound passenger bus crashed into the rear of a stationary, broken-down truck in Sherpur upazila of Bogura.

The accident occurred at around 11.30pm on Sunday, 2 August, in the Chhonka area on the Dhaka-Rangpur highway. Highway Police Sherpur police station officer-in-charge Ayub Ali confirmed the incident on Monday afternoon.

The deceased have been identified as Masudur Rahman, 38, a raw materials trader and son of Abdul Gaffar from Chanpir village in Dhamoirhat upazila of Naogaon, and bus helper Md Nayan, 38, son of Osman Ali from Jahanpur village in the same upazila.

According to police and eyewitnesses, a stone-laden truck had broken down on the highway in the Chhonka area two days before the crash. The vehicle had reportedly remained parked on the Dhaka-bound lane of the busy highway.

At around 11.30pm on Sunday, a Dhaka-bound bus operated by Jamuna Line Paribahan was travelling along the highway when its driver apparently lost control and slammed into the rear of the stationary truck. The impact was severe, leaving the front section of the bus badly crushed.

Nayan, the bus helper, and passenger Masudur Rahman died at the scene, according to the authorities. At least seven other passengers sustained injuries in the collision.

Personnel from the Sherpur Fire Service and Civil Defence responded to the scene and rescued the injured passengers. They were subsequently taken to Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Medical College Hospital in Bogura, commonly known as Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Medical College Hospital, for treatment. The condition of the injured passengers was not immediately disclosed.

Ayub Ali, officer-in-charge of the Highway Police Sherpur police station, said the initial assessment suggested that the bus was travelling at high speed and that the driver failed to notice the broken-down truck standing beside the highway. The circumstances surrounding the crash are being examined as part of the legal process.

Following the accident, police seized both the bus and the truck for investigation. The truck’s driver and helper reportedly fled the scene after the collision.

After completion of the necessary legal procedures, the bodies of the two deceased were handed over to their families.

A case has been filed at Sherpur police station under the relevant provisions of the Road Transport Act. The incident has once again drawn attention to the risks posed by disabled vehicles left on busy highways, particularly at night, when poor visibility and high-speed traffic can increase the likelihood of serious collisions.