Md Nazmul Hasan Akhand, a doctor, died while returning home in Cumilla after attending to patients at his private chamber in Hajiganj, Chandpur.
According to local and police sources, on Wednesday afternoon Nazmul Hasan was driving his car along the Cumilla–Chandpur highway towards his residence. At around 3 pm, in the Bizra area of Laksham upazila, Cumilla, several motorcyclists chased his vehicle and at one stage broke the side mirror. He panicked, apparently lost congtrol lost and subsequently died.
Dr Nazmul Hasan Akhand, a resident of Baduratala in Cumilla city, had been practising for 30 years at CD Path & Hospital in the same area. A specialist in dermatology, venereology, allergy and leprosy, he would attend patients every Wednesday morning at a private hospital in Hajiganj, Chandpur.
Police and local sources reported that while returning to Cumilla, two to three motobikes bikes pursued his car in Bizra. At one point, they damaged the car’s side mirror and fled. The car collided with two CNG-run auto-rickshaws before coming to a halt at the roadside. Locals found him in an ailing condition and took him to CD Path & Hospital in Cumilla, where attending doctors declared that he had died prior to arrival.
At around 11:30 pm on Wednesday, Mohiuddin Munshi, Administrative Officer of CD Path & Hospital, told Prothom Alo, “We cannot state with certainty what actually happened, as Dr Nazmul was alone in the car. We have also heard the information only from local residents and the police.” He further mentioned that Dr Nazmul Hasan Akhand’s home is in Daudkandi upazila of the district. He has two children.
At around 11:45 pm the same night, when asked about the matter, Laksam police station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Naznin Sultana said that local residents and eyewitnesses had reported the physician had swerved towards the motorbikes while driving, though no accident occurred. She stated that he may have been feeling unwell or was just careless. The motorcyclists reacted angrily and chased him, at one stage striking the car’s side mirror with a helmet. The physician lost control and collided with two CNG-run auto-rickshaws, bringing the vehicle to a stop.
OC Naznin Sultana added, “It is assumed that the doctor may have suffered a heart attack out of fear during the incident. So far, we have received no formal complaint regarding the matter. However, we and the highway police are investigating the incident.”