Who was driving the Baridhara car?

The death of a construction worker crushed by a speeding car on a Dhaka footpath has raised questions over the protection of pedestrians’ rights and accountability in road crashes, after a teenager reportedly found in the driver’s seat was detained by locals but later released by police.

The incident has also prompted questions over whether the person who was actually driving the car has been identified and why the teenager’s name was not included in the case filed over the death.

Construction worker Mehedi Hasan, 24, was taking a break on the footpath when a high-speed private car mounted the pavement and struck him. He was crushed beneath the wheels and died at the scene.

The accident occurred at about 5:00pm on Tuesday on the footpath of Road No. 1 in the Baridhara Diplomatic Zone.

Mehedi was from Sonaray village in Domar upazila of Nilphamari. His elder brother, Moktadir Islam, 28, filed a case under the Road Transport Act with Gulshan Police Station.

Driver’s identity questioned
People at the scene detained a teenager who was reportedly in the driver’s seat and handed him over to police. Police said they took him into custody to protect him from possible mob justice as an angry crowd gathered after the accident.

He was interrogated and released later that night into the care of his uncle.

The teenager’s identity was not included in the case. Instead, Akash Mark, 44, was named as the driver of the vehicle. Police said Akash has been absconding since the accident.

The discrepancy has raised questions about the circumstances of the crash and the basis on which the accused driver was identified.

Inspector (Investigation) Ismail Hossain of Gulshan Police Station said the case was filed by Mehedi’s elder brother naming Akash Mark as the driver.

“The deceased Mehedi’s elder brother has filed a case naming Akash Mark as the driver of the car.

The teenager’s name was not mentioned in the case. For this reason, he was released after interrogation. If involvement is found following analysis of the footage, he will be arrested,” he said.

CCTV footage under scrutiny
The presence of the teenager in the driver’s seat was also captured in video footage of the incident, according to police and local sources. CCTV footage of the crash has subsequently circulated widely on social media.

The footage shows the private car hitting a lamppost before coming to a halt after striking Mehedi on the footpath. Two people are seen getting out of the vehicle. Angry locals then detained the teenager and handed him over to police.

Police said the vehicle has been seized and that further action would depend on analysis of the footage and other evidence.

The First Information Report states that Akash Mark was driving recklessly and ran over Mehedi, who suffered severe injuries to his head, chest and back and died at the scene.

Family seeks justice
The circumstances of the death have renewed concerns over the vulnerability of pedestrians, particularly workers who use footpaths and public spaces for rest and movement, and the need for transparent investigations when road crashes result in deaths.

The case has also drawn attention to the rights of victims and their families to have the circumstances of a fatal crash properly established and those responsible held accountable in accordance with the law.

Police sources said the teenager is an O-Level student at an English-medium school in Gulshan.

His father is a captain with Biman Bangladesh Airlines, while the car involved in the crash is registered in his mother’s name.

Police said the teenager would be arrested if his involvement in the accident is established through the footage and investigation.

Meanwhile, Akash Mark remains absconding, according to police, leaving the question of who was actually driving the vehicle at the time of the fatal crash central to the ongoing investigation.