Four passengers of a battery-operated auto-rickshaw lost their lives in a tragic accident when the vehicle was struck by a truck and subsequently crushed by an oncoming covered van.
The incident occurred around 10pm on Wednesday (11 December), at Chandana Chowrasta in the Basan police station area of Gazipur City Corporation, along the Dhaka-Mymensingh highway.
The deceased have been identified as Dulal, 27, Mamun, 28, Mamun, 24, and Saleha Akter, 23.
Among them, two identities have been confirmed: Mamun, 24, son of Nazrul Islam from the Basan area, and Saleha Akter, wife of Mosharraf Hossain of Chandana.
According to police and hospital sources, the accident transpired when a truck rear-ended the passenger-laden auto-rickshaw at Chandana Chowrasta.
Almost simultaneously, a covered van, approaching from the opposite direction, collided head-on with the vehicle, trapping it in a deadly squeeze.
One passenger died on the spot, while locals rushed the remaining three to Gazipur Shaheed Tajuddin Ahmad Medical College Hospital.
Upon arrival, doctors declared all three brought in dead.
Dr Sheikh Fahad, Residential Medical Officer of Gazipur Shaheed Tajuddin Ahmad Medical College Hospital, stated, "Two individuals were brought to the hospital at 11pm, followed by another two at midnight. Among them were three males and one female, all of whom were deceased upon arrival. The bodies have been sent to the morgue for post-mortem examinations."
Sub-Inspector Dulal Chandra of Basan Police Station said, "The truck driver fled the scene following the accident. Legal actions are underway regarding the matter."
