The accident occurred at around 6am in the Paschim Taldighi area of the Mymensingh–Sherpur highway. The children were walking beside the road with their mother when a covered van approached from behind and ran them over, killing both at the scene.
The victims were identified as Arabia, aged eight, and Rabia, aged six. They were the daughters of Mokhlesur Rahman, a resident of Paschim Taldighi village in Tarakanda.
According to police and local sources, the girls’ mother, Fatema Akter, had left home early in the morning to go to work as a domestic worker. Her two daughters accompanied her. When they reached the highway section in Paschim Taldighi, a covered van struck the children from behind as they walked along the roadside.
The sudden loss of both children has left the family facing a devastating tragedy. The incident also highlights the dangers pedestrians, particularly young children, can face when walking beside busy roads where large vehicles travel.
CCTV footage of the incident has circulated on social media. The video reportedly shows the two girls walking alongside their mother before a covered van approaches from behind and strikes them. The driver then leaves the scene with the vehicle, according to accounts of the footage.
Some eyewitnesses have questioned whether the incident was simply an accident. They said the footage appeared to show the driver running over the children deliberately. However, these allegations have not been independently established, and the available information does not confirm that the collision was intentional.
Abdur Rashid, officer-in-charge of Tarakanda Police Station, said the CCTV footage suggested that the driver might have fallen asleep at the wheel. He indicated that the driver’s apparent drowsiness could have caused the accident.
The bodies of the two children were kept at a local health complex, the officer said.
The circumstances surrounding the collision, including the driver’s actions and the reasons the vehicle struck the children, require careful investigation. The footage may help investigators establish the sequence of events and assess the allegations made by witnesses.
The incident has once again drawn attention to pedestrian safety on highways in Bangladesh. Early-morning traffic, heavy vehicles and limited protection for people walking along road edges can create serious risks, particularly for children accompanying family members.
Drivers of large vehicles have a responsibility to remain alert, maintain control of their vehicles and exercise particular caution around pedestrians. Where a collision occurs, leaving the scene can also complicate efforts to establish what happened and determine responsibility.
For the family of Arabia and Rabia, however, the immediate consequence is an irreparable loss. What began as an ordinary morning journey with their mother ended in the deaths of two young sisters, leaving their family and community in mourning.
