Two homeless women killed and 5 injured in hit-and-run accident

Two homeless women have been killed and five others were injured in a hit-and-run at 1am On Tuesday outside the Supreme Court main gate in Dhaka. Shahbag police station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Abu Bakar Siddiqi said the driver of the private car ran over three homeless people sleeping on the pavement in front of the court. The incident left Shahera Khatun, 45, dead on the spot and Hasina, 25, died of her injuries on the way to Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) said the hospital's police outpost in-charge Bacchu Miah. Another five people were also injured in the accident and are now at DMCH for treatment. Shahbagh Sub-Inspector (SI) Raisul Islam told the Dhaka Tribune that they reached the spot soon after the incident and took the injured women to DMCH. Police seized the car and was able to detain the passenger, Shaon, a BRAC University BBA student but the driver managed to escape soon after the accident. SI Raisul said the car lost control when it was turning and ran over the sleeping women as the car lept forward onto the footpath. “The primary assessment is that the accident was caused by reckless driving,” the SI said. He said Shaon was found trying to carry Sahera into the car to take her to the hospital but she was bleeding profusely. OC (Investigation) Zafar Ali Khan told the Dhaka Tribune that Shaon identified the driver of the car as one Shifat and the owner of the vehicle as Rezaul Karim Shyamol. Another passenger was also in the car named Sharif but he also fled after the accident, Shaon claimed. Police said Rezaul and Sharif are garment traders. OC Zafar said the relatives of the deceased will file a murder case or the police will file it on their behalf.