An accident on the Comilla-Sylhet regional highway in Debidwar on Tuesday morning left at least 20 passengers injured and caused a traffic jam that stretched for at least five kilometers.
The incident, which occurred around 9am, involved a truck, a lorry, and a passenger bus, and led to a complete blockage of the highway, creating severe congestion that left commuters stranded for hours.
According to reports, the accident occurred when the front tire of a truck burst while it was moving towards Comilla. This caused the truck to lose control, and a fast-moving lorry crashed into the rear of the truck. Moments later, a passenger bus, named "Royal Super Coach," collided with the lorry, causing the bus to overturn.
The collision left at least 20 passengers injured, some of whom were reported to be in critical condition.
Traffic standstill and rescue delays
The aftermath of the accident caused a complete standstill of traffic on the Comilla-Sylhet regional highway.
By 1:35pm, the jam had stretched for at least five kilometers in both directions, causing extreme inconvenience to travelers.
Parvez Ali, in-charge of the Mirpur Highway police outpost, said that efforts were underway to clear the wreckage and resume traffic and hopes that the road would be cleared within the next 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, the injured passengers were receiving treatment at the Debidwar Upazila Health Complex and various private clinics.
Rescue operations complicated by equipment shortage
Local residents and police said that the truck’s front tire exploded, leading to the chain collision involving the lorry and bus.
However, the rescue operations were delayed due to the lack of large equipment needed to move the damaged vehicles. A larger wrecker was eventually brought in from Mainamoti to assist in the recovery.
Abdul Karim, a bus driver who had been traveling from Companyganj to Comilla, said that he had been stuck for nearly five hours in the jam and that many passengers had to walk to bypass the accident site due to the delay in the recovery process.