5 Bangladeshis killed in Saudi road crash

News Desk :

What began as a sacred journey has ended in devastation: five Bangladeshis have been killed and a child critically injured in a road crash in Saudi Arabia while returning home after completing Umrah.

The victims, residents of Ramganj Upazila in Lakshmipur, met with the accident around 3am on Monday while travelling back from Jeddah to their residence, said Baharul Alam, elder brother of the dead expatriate Mizanur Rahman Mizan.

The victims are Mizan, 40; his wife Farzana Akhtar Sumi, 30; their daughters Meher Afroze, 13, 1-and-a-half-year-old Subha Akhtar; and the driver of the vehicle, Md Zilani Babar, 30.

Mizan’s middle daughter, Faiza Akhtar, 11, was critically injured and is undergoing treatment at a hospital in Jeddah, reports bdnews24.com.

Meher, Mizan’s eldest daughter, was a sixth-grade student at the local Turi High School.
Speaking on Monday afternoon, Baharul said his younger brother had been living in Saudi Arabia for a long time and ran a business there.

On Feb 3, Mizan took his wife and three daughters to Saudi Arabia from Bangladesh to perform Umrah.
Five days ago, they left their Saudi residence for the pilgrimage. The accident occurred while they were returning to their home in Abha after completing Umrah.

Mizan’s father Shahid Ullah has been left speechless by the tragedy, while his cousin Rifat Ul Islam said the incident was confirmed through Parvez Bhuiyan, a Saudi expatriate from a neighbouring village.

Ramganj Upazila administrator (UNO) Farashid Bin Enam said, “We have heard that five people died in a road accident in Saudi Arabia.

“We express our condolences to the bereaved family. We will extend all possible assistance to bring the bodies back home.”