Fourteen people, including the drivers of both vehicles, were killed and at least 30 others were injured in a head-on collision between a passenger bus and a sand-laden truck in Baraigram upazila of Natore early Tuesday.
The victims included women and children. The collision left both vehicles mangled.
The accident occurred around 4:30am in the Sarkarpara area along the Natore-Pabna highway on Tuesday. Police suspect the bus collided with the truck while attempting to overtake another vehicle. A seven-member committee has been formed to investigate the accident.
According to highway police, Fire Service officials and local sources, the RP Paribahan night coach was travelling from Barguna to Chapainawabganj, while the sand-laden truck was heading from Panchagarh to Jhenaidah.
The vehicles collided head-on as they reached Sarkarpara. Several passengers died at the scene, while others succumbed to their injuries after being taken to hospitals.
The deceased drivers were identified as Sohel Rana, who was driving the bus, and Kalam, who was driving the truck.
Rescue teams from Bonpara Highway Police Station and the Natore Fire Service rushed to the scene. Sub-Inspector Alamgir Hossain of Bonpara Highway Police and Station Officer Abdur Rouf of the Natore Fire Service confirmed the incident.
The recovered bodies were sent to the morgue at Natore Sadar Hospital. The injured were taken to Baraigram Upazila Health Complex, Natore Sadar Hospital, local clinics and Rajshahi Medical College Hospital. Some of them remained in critical condition.
Sub-Inspector Shamim Hossain of Bonpara Police Investigation Centre said preliminary information suggested that the truck was travelling in the left lane when the speeding bus collided with it while attempting to overtake other vehicles.
The exact cause of the accident would be established through an investigation, he said.
Abdus Salam, a passenger on the bus, alleged that it was overcrowded, with all seats occupied and many passengers standing. He said the bus was travelling at high speed and the driver frequently applied the brakes abruptly, causing passengers to be thrown from their seats.
Victims identified
Some of the victims were identified as Sohag Hossain, 30, son of Yunus Ali from Kazirhat village in Jajira upazila of Shariatpur; Jewel Rana, 40, son of Zahur Uddin from Borokandi village; Shalal Molla, 45, son of Jahan Uddin Molla from Dubisaheber village; and Shahin Hossain, 25, from Kazirhat village.
Others were Sohel Rana, 40, the bus driver and son of Abdul Hakim from Farhadpur village in Godagari upazila of Rajshahi; Kalam, 35, the truck driver; Anwar Haque, 30, son of Babar Ali from Konopara village in Bagmara upazila; and Tasfia Khatun, 8, daughter of the late Shahidul Islam from Subidkhali village in Mirzaganj upazila of Patuakhali.
Efforts to identify the remaining victims were ongoing.
Dr Mahabubur Rahman, resident medical officer at Natore Sadar Hospital, said nine injured people had been admitted to the 250-bed facility. Two were discharged after receiving treatment.
Of the remaining seven, three were in critical condition and had been transferred to Rajshahi Medical College Hospital, while four were receiving treatment at Natore Sadar Hospital.
Bus lacked valid fitness certificate
Natore Deputy Commissioner Sumoni Akter said the RP Paribahan bus involved in the accident did not have a valid fitness certificate.
According to the Natore office of the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA), the bus's fitness certificate expired on May 13 this year, although its route permit remains valid until May 13, 2028.
The expired fitness certificate has raised questions about how the bus continued to operate on the road.
A seven-member investigation committee, led by Additional District Magistrate Abul Hayat, has been formed to determine the cause of the accident. The committee includes representatives from the police, BRTA, the health department and other relevant agencies.
Sumoni and Natore Superintendent of Police Shariful Haque visited the accident site in Sarkarpara. The deputy commissioner announced financial assistance of Tk25,000 for the family of each deceased victim.
The superintendent of police said action would be taken against vehicles operating without valid fitness certificates.
Sumoni said further steps would be taken based on the investigation committee's findings and recommendations.
After visiting the scene, National Parliament Whip Ruhul Quddus Talukdar Dulu said the prime minister would provide financial assistance to the families of the deceased. He also said initiatives would be taken to widen the Pabna-Bonpara highway to help prevent similar accidents.
Jamaat expresses concern
Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami expressed grief over the deaths and injuries in the accident.
In a statement issued to the media on Tuesday morning, the party's Secretary General Mia Golam Parwar said the accident on the Natore-Pabna highway was tragic and highlighted persistent failures in traffic management.
He expressed condolences to the victims' families and prayed for the deceased and the speedy recovery of the injured.
Parwar urged the government and relevant authorities to ensure the injured received proper medical care and to provide support to affected families.
He also called for improvements to traffic management, measures to prevent unqualified drivers from operating vehicles, the removal of unfit and outdated vehicles from roads, and action against transport syndicates to improve road safety.
