Death toll rises to 11 in two separate Mymensingh road accidents

NN Online:
At least 11 people were killed in two separate road accidents on Friday in Mymensingh’s Phulpur and Tarakanda upazilas.

In Phulpur, eight people lost their lives when a high-speed bus collided with a three-wheeled passenger vehicle (Mahindra) near Courier Bridge around 8:45pm, according to Superintendent of Police Kazi Akhterul Alam. The victims, all Mahindra passengers, included Farid Mia (38), Jahur Ali (70), Hasina Khatun (50), Shamsuddin (65), and Azim Uddin (35).

Five people died on the spot, while six others were seriously injured. One succumbed to injuries at Phulpur Upazila Health Complex and two more died later at Mymensingh Medical College Hospital.

Following the crash, the bus driver and his assistant fled. An enraged crowd set the bus on fire, causing a one-hour traffic disruption until police and Fire Service teams restored order.

In a separate incident around 5:30pm in Tarakanda’s Ramchandrapur area, three people were killed in a head-on collision between an ambulance and a CNG-run autorickshaw. The victims were Jebeda Khatun (85), Rakibul Hasan (15), and autorickshaw driver Mohammad Alam (35), who later died while receiving treatment.

Tarakanda Police Station chief Tipu Sultan said the autorickshaw was en route to Mymensingh when the accident occurred near the Himalaya Filling Station. The ambulance, belonging to Haluaghat Upazila Health Complex, was not transporting a patient. Its driver also fled the scene.

SP Akhterul, after visiting the Phulpur crash site, blamed reckless driving and unskilled drivers for the fatal accidents. He assured that the injured are receiving medical attention and that legal action will follow.