Passengers of three vehicles clash on Dhaka-Chattogram highway

A dispute over overtaking led to clashes among passengers of a bus and two microbuses on the Dhaka-Chattogram highway at Sitakunda in Chattogram in the morning on Friday. The passengers vandalised each others’ vehicles on the highway. 

According to witnesses, a microbus hit the road divider when it was speeding with a bus and the latter abruptly changed its lane to leave space for another vehicle. 

In response, passengers from the microbus vandalised the bus, smashing it with sticks. Soon another microbus appeared in the scene and its passengers joined the attack. At one stage, the bus passengers retaliated with a counter attack and vandalised the two microbuses. 

The incident took place in the Sultana Mandir area at around 7:00 am. The clashes continued until locals stepped in and calmed both sides. Later, the police went to the spot and seized the bus and a microbus, while the other vehicle managed to flee. 

While visiting the spot, the vandalised bus and a black microbus were seen parked beside the highway, while two groups of passengers, with sticks in hand, were arguing with each other. 

A bus passenger, who identified himself as a security force officer, told Prothom Alo that he was traveling from Bogura to his workplace at Ramu in Cox’s Bazar. At around 6:30 am, a feud erupted between his bus and a microbus during what appeared to be a race on the highway. 

The bus driver apologised for his fault, but the young passengers of the microbus blocked the way and vandalised the bus’ windows. It prompted some passengers to get off the bus and protest the attack. 

Sumana Begum, another passenger of the bus, expressed panic over the attack. She said the bus driver could have been handed over to the police if he had done anything wrong. “Why did they put the passengers at risk?”

Meanwhile, a youth, who was the passenger of the parked black microbus, told Prothom Alo that they did not vandalise the bus. The bus’ conflict was actually with a white microbus that fled the scene.

Idris Miya, a local resident who runs a road-side tea stall, said he noticed the young men vandalising the bus. They went there and tried to stop the attack, but the youth turned aggressive toward them too. 

Later, some other locals went to the spot, seized a microbus, and handed it to the police, he added. 

When asked about the incident, Abdul Baten, assistant sub-inspector (ASI) of Baroawlia highway police station, said the conflict stemmed from overtaking, and the passengers vandalised the others' vehicles. 

“If they fail to settle the issue between themselves, the vehicles will be taken to the highway police station and further legal actions will be taken,” he added.