The death toll has risen to seven after an out-of-control passenger bus ran over people on the Bogura-Naogaon regional highway.
The casualties occurred at about 5:30am on Friday (7 August) when the bus ran onto day labourers waiting for work in front of Erulia High School in Bogura Sadar upazila.
According to the latest information, all seven of the dead have been identified. They are Bellal Hossain (40) of Faponr Madhyapara in Bogura Sadar upazila; Nur Mohammad Sardar (75) of Narhatta Sardar Para in Kahaloo upazila; Md Anarul Islam (55) of Kalai police station in Joypurhat; Amirul (40) of Pachbibi police station; Abu Saeed (45) of Gobindaganj in Gaibandha; Nur Alam (45) of the same upazila; and Md Tazimul (47) of Parbatipur upazila in Dinajpur.
The prime minister’s personal physician, Dr Monwarul Kadir Bitu, visited the injured being treated at Bogura’s Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Medical College (SZMC) Hospital. After seeing the patients with the hospital director, he told journalists: “The prime minister is very worried at the news of this accident. I rushed here as soon as I heard. Many of the injured have serious head and leg injuries. One person in the ICU is in a very critical condition.”
The PM’s personal physician also said: “Primary treatment has been given to those who could receive it. The hospital authorities will provide whatever medicines are needed, and blood will be supplied from here if required. Patients will be referred to Dhaka as needed. We have also spoken with the district administration, which has formed an investigation committee.”
Bogura Sadar police station officer-in-charge (OC) Ibrahim Ali said: “It was initially learned that the bus lost control while trying to avoid a motorcyclist, hit a pole and then ran onto the workers.” He said three died at the scene and four in hospital. Following public demand, the roads authority had begun building a speed breaker, after which locals cleared the road, and traffic is now fully normal. The bus involved has been taken into police custody, the OC said.
Bogura deputy commissioner Md Toufiqur Rahman visited the injured in hospital and announced financial support of 25,000 taka for each of the dead’s families and 15,000 taka for each of the injured. A three-member investigation committee, headed by the additional district magistrate, has been formed and asked to submit a report within three working days.
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report