Two tourists, including a female student of Dhaka University, were killed, and 10 others were injured when their car plunged into a ditch in Ruma upazila of Bandarban on Saturday morning.
The deceased have been identified as Zoynab Kathun (24), a student of Dhaka University’s Criminology department, and Firoza Begum (53).
Among the injured, two are in critical condition, and all the tourists are female. They went to Keokradong under the banner of a women's organization named ‘Narir Cukhe Bissho’ (World through women's lens).
Fakhrul Islam, a lineman of the Bandarban Jeep-Microbus Owners' Association, told media, “A group of 45 tourists from the Bandarban jeep-microbus station was returning from Keokradong when a B-70 car lost control and plunged into a hill ditch between Rumsongpara and Darjeeling Para.”
The jeep-microbus plunged 500 meters down from the road, according to Bandarban Ruma Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Syed Mahbubul Haque.
"A group of 57 women from Travelettes of Bangladesh, a female travel organization, traveled to the Keokradong mountain peak from Bagalek in four jeep-microbuses known as Chander Garhi. On the way back, after their visit to Keokradong, a car lost control and plunged into a mountain ravine in the Darjeeling Para area. The travelers in the other vehicle initially attempted to rescue the casualties with the help of local people. Later, the army, fire service members, and upazila administration went to the spot and conducted rescue operations,” Prothom Alo reported citing its correspondent.