2 Bangladeshi killed in Saudi Arabia road accident

Two Bangladeshi expatriates businessmen, from Cumilla, were killed in a road accident in Saudi Arabia.

The accident occurred in the Afif area on the Jeddah-Riyadh highway on Friday night (May 15) when the victims were returning to Riyadh with goods for their business.

The deceased were identified as Nur-e-Alam, 42, from Basudai village under Bototoli union in Nangalkot upazila, and Yunus Mia, 43, from Bosuara village under Sripur union in Chauddagram upazila of Cumilla.

Relatives said the two friends jointly operated a business in Riyadh.

According to Monir Hossain, a nephew of Nur-e-Alam who also lives in Saudi Arabia, the accident took place after two vehicles collided head-on after losing control. Nur-e-Alam and Yunus Mia died on the spot.

A Saudi national was also killed in the crash, while two others, including the driver, sustained critical injuries. The driver’s condition was reported to be serious.

Family members said both expatriates had planned to return home during the upcoming Eid-ul-Azha holiday. Yunus Mia had already booked a flight ticket to see his four-month-old son for the first time.

Yunus's brother Omar Faruk Maruf said he was the sole breadwinner of the family and is survived by his elderly parents, three daughters and two sons.

Nur-e-Alam’s wife, Sumi Akter, said the six-member family depended entirely on her husband's income and appealed to the government for assistance in bringing his body back home quickly.

Cumilla Deputy Commissioner Md Reza Hasan said the process of repatriating bodies from abroad usually takes time and is handled through the ministries concerned, adding that the district administration would provide all possible support to expedite the process.