16 killed in Sylhet, Bogura crashes, many injured

A series of fatal road accidents continued across the country on Friday, with at least 16 people killed and more than two dozen injured in two separate highway crashes in Sylhet and Bogura, renewing concerns over highway safety and reckless driving.

In Sylhet, nine people, including a three-year-old child, were killed and 12 others injured when two passenger buses collided head-on on the Dhaka-Sylhet Highway in Osmani Nagar upazila.

The accident occurred around 7:00am near Kashikapan in the Sherpur area, said Sherpur Highway Police chief Md Anisur Rahman. The buses involved belonged to Unique Paribahan and Bengal Paribahan.

Seven people died at the scene, while a child and another passenger later succumbed to their injuries in hospital.

The deceased included Saptam Ray Pritom, 22, three-year-old Jaifa and Haji Saiful Islam, 50, who were travelling on the Unique Paribahan bus. The injured were admitted to MAG Osmani Medical College Hospital.

"We are gathering the identities and other details of the deceased and will inform you," Anisur Rahman said.

In Bogura, seven people were killed and 15 others injured after a passenger bus lost control and crashed into a group of roadside labourers on the Bogura-Naogaon Highway near Silkibandha in Erulia around 5:30am.

Police said the Shah Fateh Ali Paribahan bus, travelling from Dhaka to Naogaon, apparently lost control, hit an electric pole, spun around and ploughed into labourers who had gathered beside the highway in search of work.

Three people died on the spot. Local residents rescued the injured and rushed them to Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Medical College Hospital.

Assistant Sub-Inspector Krishna Das of the hospital police camp said doctors declared three victims dead on arrival, while another later died during treatment.

"Several of the injured are in critical condition," he said.

The crash triggered protests by local residents, who blocked the highway and demanded immediate measures to prevent further accidents, including the installation of speed breakers.

Bogura Sadar Upazila Nirbahi Officer Abdul Wajed, who visited the scene, said the executive engineer of the Roads and Highways Department had assured residents that speed breakers would be installed at the site on the same day.

The two crashes, occurring just hours apart, left 16 people dead and underscored the continuing risks posed by speeding, loss of vehicle control and inadequate safety measures on the country's highways.