Despite having only a medium license, the driver, Morshed, drove a bus of Trust service, and ploughed it into Krishna Roy Chowdhury, 52, who was walking on the footpath. As a result she lost her left leg 6 days ago.
A medium license only allows drivers to operate microbuses, and other medium vehicles, but the driver was appointed to steer the 40-seat bus, which falls into the heavy vehicle category.
On the first day of his bus driving, on 27 August, the accident happened during his third trip.
Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) Inspector Jewel Miah, quoting the driver, who was primarily interrogated, told the Dhaka Tribune, “I wanted to save a private car, and ploughed into the footpath. Then I felt somebody was hit, and people started gathering. I was beaten by a mob, and people started tearing my clothing, after that, I fled from the scene.”
However, the prime accused Morshed was detained by PBI from Mirpur's Kazipara area in Dhaka around 10:30 pm on Sunday.
Also Read- ‘The thing I feared the most, just happened to me’
Before ploughing the bus into Krishna, he used to drive a private car. But he claimed that he could drive heavy vehicles easily.
During primary interrogation, the driver said, he worked as a helper of a bus. Later he started to drive a private car in the capital. He claimed, the bus he was driving has mechanical problems, and that in turn caused the accident.
How was the accused arrested
Krishna Roy Chowdhury, an assistant manager of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation (BIWTC), was walking on the footpath at Bangla Motor, planning to get on a bus to go home from the office.
All of a sudden, a Shahbagh bound bus of Trust company came towards her, and hit her while she was walking on the footpath.
After the incident, the driver Morshed, 35, was beaten by a mob, yet he managed to flee, and go back to his house at Dhaka’s Ibrahimpur area. He changed his SIM card, and rushed to his village Boro Tiapara under Kishoreganj district.
During his days at the village, he would stay at his neighbours or relative’s house. He would not even stay at his house for a day long.
The PBI’s team raided his village house in the dawn of Sunday, but could not find him.
He hid on a coconut tree by climbing atop it. Having failed to find him, the team left the locale.
Morshed left his village, and returned to Dhaka. PBI again traced him to Mirpur’s Kazipara area, and detained him.
Krishna’s ordeal
Assistant manager of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation (BIWTC) Krishna Roy Chowdhury, 52, lost her leg when a bus of Trust Transport hit her, while she was walking on the footpath in Dhaka’s Bangla Motor area on August 27.
She was rushed to Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH), and was later transferred to Pongu Hospital for better treatment.
Following the accident, Krishna’s leg had to be amputated, and she received injuries in different parts of her body.
Later Krishna's husband Radhasham filed a case with the Hatirjheel Police Station against the owner, driver, and helper of the Trust Transport bus, confirmed Sub-Inspector Khairul Alam.
Meanwhile, a team representing the Trust Transport Owners Association went to the BIWTC office on Wednesday to negotiate the issue, and offered Tk2 lakh as compensation, but Krishna's husband Radhasham Chowdhury along with the BIWTC officials rejected the offer.
On Saturday, State Minister for Shipping Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury said those who were responsible for the injury of BIWTA staff Krishna will be brought to justice.
