Five killed as bus crashes into parked pick-up van

At least five people were killed and several others injured after a bus crashed into a broken-down pick-up van on the Dhaka-Khulna highway in Bhanga upazila of Faridpur on Saturday night, reports UNB.

The identities of the deceased could not be confirmed immediately, said Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Bhanga Highway Police Station Helal Uddin. The accident occurred around 8pm in the Swadi area when a Khulna-bound Narail Express bus from Dhaka rammed the stationary pick-up van, leaving five people dead on the spot, the OC said. Following the accident, angry locals seized the bus and set fire to it.

On information, members of the Highway Police and Fire Service, along with local residents, rushed to the spot, rescued the injured and took them to Bhanga Upazila Health Complex. "Initially, we have confirmed the death of five people. We are investigating the exact cause of the accident," said the OC.

The accident disrupted traffic on the highway for some time. Police later worked to restore traffic on the highway.