12 killed in road accidents

Our Correspondent from Sirajganj reports: At least seven people were killed and six others injured in a road accident on the Dhaka-Bogra highway at Alokdiar Loargati area under Solonga Police Station at Rayganj upazila in Sirajganj yesterday.

The injured were rushed to Sirajganj Sadar hospital in critical condition.

Police and witnesses said that the accident took place at around 8.00am when a Sirajganj-bound tempo collided head on with a speeding truck coming from opposite direction, leaving three passengers --- Bahar Ali 45, son of Yunus Ali of Masimpur village and Abdul Momin 25, son of Nurul Islam and Bulbul 35, son of Abdul Malek, of Raypur village --- dead on the spot and 10 others injured.

Of the injured, Nur Islam, 33 of Erandaho in Raiganj upazila, Murad 42, son of Abdul Mozid of Mahshapara in Sirajganj town, Yunus Ali 38, of Boraigram in Natore and an unidentified man aged about 30, succumbed to their injuries at Sadar Hospital.

UNB from Narayanganj adds: An air-conditioned bus swerved off Dhaka-Sylhet highway into a ditch in Araihazar upazila yesterday killing three people on the spot and injuring 30 others.

The dead are a doctor, a businessman and a university student, police and witnesses said.

They are Dr Ismail Ahmed, 50, businessman Haridas Pal, 55, and Mukul, 22, a student of Dhaka's Stamford University.

Local sources said the Dhaka-bound coach from Habiganj tumbled into a ditch while trying to give passage to a covered van near a bridge at Panchrukhi Bazar at about 10.30am.

Of the injured, 12 were admitted to Narsingdi Sadar and other local hospitals "in critical condition".

Transport movement on the busy route halted for two hours following the accident.

"A serious traffic jam was created on the highway, with hundreds of vehicles queuing up on both sides of the spot," the sources said.

Meanwhile, Tungipara Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) and his driver were killed when a bus rammed into their jeep at Nagarkanda upazila in Faridpur yesterday.

The deceased were identified as UNO Alamgir Kabir Khan, 45, and his driver Abdul Qader, 35.

Police said the accident occurred when Alamgir Kabir was going to Tungipara from Dhaka at about 9:00am.

Awami League President and Leader of the Opposition in Parliament Sheikh Hasina has expressed her deep shock at the death of Alamgir Kabir.

Hasina prayed for salvation of the departed soul and Conveyed her sympathy to the members of the bereaved family.