A series of tragic incidents unfolded across Bangladesh on Sunday, with heavy winter fog playing a significant role in causing disruptions and accidents on roads, waterways, and rivers.
In the morning, thick fog contributed to four separate road accidents on the Dhaka-Mawa Expressway, claiming one life and injuring at least 15 people.
Dense fog was also a factor in a head-on collision between two launches on the Meghna River in Chandpur, which left eight people injured.
Meanwhile, early Sunday, a passenger boat en route to the Biswa Ijtema was targeted by armed robbers on the Brahmaputra River.
The accidents on the Dhaka-Mawa Expressway in Srinagar upazila of Munshiganj occurred within half an hour on Sunday morning, involving the collision of 10 vehicles.
The incidents took place between 8:00am and 8:30am amid thick fog that disrupted visibility and slowed vehicle movement, according to highway police sources.
One of the accidents occurred near the KC underpass when a truck heading towards Mawa broke down and was rear-ended by another truck. Moments later, a bus crashed into the stationary vehicles.
In another incident near the Nimtala Shikarpur underpass, a Sakura Paribahan bus collided with a covered van. Several other vehicles, including a private car and another bus, were involved in a chain-reaction collision.
Farhad Hossain, a passenger, was critically injured and later declared dead at the Srinagar Upazila Health Complex. At least 15 others sustained injuries across the incidents.
Dr Marzia of the emergency department at Srinagar Upazila Health Complex said: “Two patients were brought here early in the morning. Farhad was pronounced dead on arrival. Another patient, Zakir Hossain, was given first aid and referred to Dhaka’s Sir Salimullah Medical College Hospital.”
Highway police noted that heavy fog blanketed the highway, forcing vehicles to move slowly with their headlights on, contributing to the accidents.
Meanwhile, two triple-decker launches collided head-on in the Meghna River early Sunday while operating on the Barisal-Dhaka-Barisal route near Harina, Chandpur, due to dense fog. The incident left at least eight people injured.
The Dhaka-bound MV Kirtankhola-10 and the Barisal-bound MV Prince Awlad-10 were the two launches involved in the collision.
Hundreds of passengers and crew members aboard both vessels narrowly escaped serious injury, though the front sections of both launches were damaged.
Md Abdur Razzak, deputy director and River Port Officer at the BIWTA, said that no major injuries were reported to his knowledge.
Special arrangements were made to transport passengers from the Barisal-bound MV Prince Awlad-10 to Barisal river port via the MV Shubhraj-9 launch.
Razzak added that dense fog was likely responsible for the accident. Both launch captains have been summoned for questioning, and further details will be provided once their statements are recorded.
Passengers described being woken by a loud noise between 2:30 am and 2:45 am amidst the dense fog. Panic ensued as they feared the launches might sink. They expressed concerns about the effectiveness of the vessels’ modern equipment, including fog lights, radar, echo sounders, and VHF radios, in preventing such accidents.
Nazmul Alam Nabin, senior assistant secretary at the Planning Commission, recounted his experience aboard the MV Kirtankhola-10 with his family. “The loud noise and jerking caused panic. A cabin fan fell on my wife, causing a minor injury,” he said.
Ismail Hossain, joint director of the Maritime Safety and Traffic Management Department at Dhaka Sadarghat, reported that the MV Kirtankhola-10 safely reached Dhaka later that morning, albeit delayed. The 580 passengers of the MV Prince Awlad-10 were transferred to the MV Shubhraj-9 and reached Barisal Ghat 6 to 7 hours behind schedule.
Monir Hossain, a passenger aboard the MV Kirtankhola-10, mentioned that over 20 motorcycles belonging to passengers were also damaged in the incident.
In a separate incident, a passenger boat en route to the Biswa Ijtema was robbed on the Rowmari-Chilmari waterway of the Brahmaputra River in Kurigram early Sunday.
The robbery occurred near 200 Bigha Char in Austomirchar union under Chilmari upazila.
A group of 16–17 robbers, riding two dinghies, intercepted the boat, held passengers at gunpoint, and looted cash and valuables, according to passengers and the boatman.
The boat, carrying 18 passengers, including a woman, departed from Rowmari’s Phuluar Char around 8:40 am. Upon reaching 200 Bigha Char, the robbers—some armed with pistols and others with sharp weapons—launched their attack.
They reportedly seized mobile phones and cash from passengers, discarding the phones into the river. The attackers also damaged one of the boat’s engines by removing its handle and throwing it into the river.
Onion trader Maijuddi, one of the victims, said: “The robbers assaulted some passengers, searched their bags, and looted cash. I lost Tk1.8 lakh that I had brought to buy onions after attending Ijtema.”
Boatman Sabur Mia added: “The robbers took cash, diesel, and engine handles from the boat before fleeing. The thick fog on the river made it difficult to seek help.”
The victims refrained from filing a complaint, citing previous experiences of police inaction following similar incidents in 2000.
Dhushmara police station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Mushahed Khan confirmed the incident, adding: “We visited the site and spoke to locals, but no one could provide details. The use of firearms is unusual in this area, and the matter is under thorough investigation. Higher authorities have been informed.”
Assistant Sub-Inspector Ershad Alam of the Rowmari Naval Police Outpost said: “The robbery has been confirmed, but the victims have not filed complaints. Further actions will depend on the findings of the ongoing investigation.”