A road crash, involving the head-on collision between two buses in Narsingdi yesterday, killed seven people and injured another 50.
The district administration, however, confirmed six deaths, and five of them could be identified – Shahnaj Begum, 26, Chan Mia, 45, and Nurjahan Begum, 40, Majlu Mia, 35, and Nadira Begum, 10.
The accident happened at Kararchar Bscic industrial area in Shibpur upazila near Dhaka-Sylhet highway around 4:30pm.
A Dhaka-bound bus of Sohag Paribahan from Sylhet rammed into a bus of Meghaloy Paribahan travelling to Monohardi, causing the gas cylinder of one of the two vehicles to explode, said police and witnesses.
Both the vehicles caught fire following the blast, and three people were burnt to death on the spot. The remaining four died while being taken to hospital.
The bodies were handed over to the families without performing autopsy.
The 50 people who received injuries were admitted to Narsingdi District Hospital. Of them, 15 were sent to DMCH in critical condition.
Local firefighters rushed to the scene following the accident and doused the flame after trying for nearly an hour.
The accident, meanwhile, led to suspension of vehicular movement on Dhaka-Sylhet highway, leading to a 15km tailback and long-route passengers’ woes. Traffic movement resumed around 6pm when the two buses were displaced.
Narsingdi Police Superintendent Sheikh Rafiqul Islam visited the scene of accident while Deputy Commissioner Abe Hena Morshed visited the injured at the local 100-bed hospital.
Morshed told reporters at the hospital that the accident claimed six lives.
“The hospital authorities have been asked to ensure highest care for the injured,” said Rafiqul.
Majeda Begum, 40, a passenger of Meghaloy Paribahan said she could not sense initially that there had been an accident.
“I touched my face and there was blood all over. I can remember nothing,” she added.
Ruhul Amin, an official of Narsingdi Fire Service, said they faced no shortage of water as there was a ditch beside the highway.
“However, we arrived late on the scene. We also had to struggle to put out the fire as it originated from the explosion of gas cylinder,” he said.
