Truck-human hauler collision kills 5 in Sirajganj

Five day labourers were killed and five others injured as a stone-laden truck collided with a human hauler in Ullapara of Sirajganj on early Thursday.

The accident took place in Goja bridge area on Hatikumrul-Bonpara highway around 2:00am on Thursday.

The deceased were identified as Mukul Hossain, 35, and Monir Hossain, 34, of Chhota Paka village, Maqbul Hossain, 35, of Basabaria village of Bagatipara upazila and Abdul Halim, 35, and Haider Ali (40) of Jumaigar village of Gurudaspur upazila. All of them were from Natore district.

UNB adds, all the victims were occupants of the human hauler.

Lutfur Rahman, officer-in-charge of Hatikumrul highway police, said that the accident occurred in the Ramarchar area of the district's Solonga upazila.

"The stone-laden truck crashed into the Natore-bound human hauler, leaving three dead on the spot and eight others injured," he said.

Two of the injured died on the way to hospital, he added. "The other injured are being treated at different hospitals in Sirajganj and Rajshahi."

Road accidents in Bangladesh continue to claim hundreds of lives every year.

As many as 543 people, including 81 children, were killed and 612 others injured in 427 road accidents in April, the Road Safety Foundation said in its latest report, released on 7 May.

The non-government organisation said 206 lives were lost in 189 motorcycle accidents, which is 37.93 per cent of the total deaths. Also, 116 pedestrians and 87 drivers and their assistants were killed in March accidents.

On the other hand, accidents on waterways claimed at least eight lives while 23 were killed and five injured in train accidents across Bangladesh last month.