Rajshahi, Ctg, Gazipur, Satkhira, Feni road accidents kill 13

A total of 13 people were killed in separate road accidents in Rajshahi, Chattogram, Gazipur Satkhira and Feni districts on Saturday, report agencies.
In Rajshahi, five people, including four members of a family, were killed when a speeding truck collided head-on with a CNG-driven autorickshaw in Belpukur bypass area under Puthiya upazila in the district on Saturday.
The deceased were identified as Insab Ali, 75, son Ayub Ali, 38, sister Parveen Akter, 35, her college-going daughter Sharmin Akhter, 17, and autorickshaw driver Mokhlesh Ali, 45.
They were heading to Rajshahi city riding on the auto-rickshaw for treatment.
Mamunur Rashid, Officer-in-Charge of Belpukur Police Station, said the Puthiya bound truck laden with TCB goods and the Rajshahi-bound auto-rickshaw collided head-on and fell into a roadside ditch around 2 pm.
Four passengers of the auto-rickshaw along with its driver sustained injuries seriously and they were immediately rushed to Rajshahi Medical College Hospital where they succumbed to their injuries.
In Chattogram, three workers of a contractor firm were killed and another was injured when a lorry knocked them down on Dhaka-Ctg highway at Talbaria BISIC road in Mirsarai upazila of Chattogram district on Saturday.
The deceased were identified as Alamgir alias Alam, 45, Shafiqul Islam, 42 and Masud Mia, 35.
Quoting witnesses, Sohel Sarkar, officer-in-charge of Jorarganj Highway Police Station, said the four workers were installing a pipeline of Karnaphuli Gas Distribution Company on the east side of the highway.
At one stage, a lorry hit them and then crashed into a tree, leaving the workers injured.
Later, they were taken to Mirsarai Upazila Health Complex where the doctors pronounced three of them dead.
Another victim was shifted to Chattogram Medical College and Hospital.
Police also seized the lorry but could not arrest its driver and helper as they managed to flee the scene.
In Gazipur, a police constable was killed and two other policemen were injured when a police van overturned after being hit by a lorry at Rajendrapur Chourasta in Gazipur district early Saturday.
The deceased was identified as Bitan Barua, a constable of Gazipur Metropolitan Police.
The police vehicle overturned around 3:45 am after the lorry rammed it while it was taking u-turn on Dhaka-Mymensingh highway, leaving two constables and a sub-inspector injured, said Ziaul islam, officer-in-charge of Sadar Police Station.
The injured were taken to Shaheed Tajuddin Medical College and Hospital where doctors declared constable Bitan dead.
In Satkhira, two Indian nationals died when a truck rammed into a private car at Taltala in Sadar upazila of Satkhira district on Saturday.
The deceased were identified as Asim Kumar Biswas, 45, and Chobi Biswas, 42, of Siliguri in India's West Bengal.
Asim was the deputy manager of Khulna-Mongla port rail line project. He was on his way to India through Bhomra land port
Md Saifuzzaman, sub-assistant director of Satkhira Fire Service, said the accident occurred at 8 am in front of BGB headquarters in Sadar upazila when the Khulna-bound truck hit the private car, leaving it mangled and two passengers and the driver in it injured.
They were taken to Satkhira Sadar Hospital where the doctors declared the two Indian citizens dead.
In Feni, two people were killed and three injured as a pickup van rammed into a CNG-run auto rickshaw at Manipur Shanirhat area of Amjadhat union under Fulgazi upazila of the district on Saturday.
The deceased were identified as CNG-run auto-rickshaw driver Saiful Islam, 25, son of late Noor Hossain of Haripushkarani area of the upazila and Anas, 8-month-old, son of Akram Hossain of Chiora village under Chauddagram upazila in Cumilla district.
Quoting locals, officer-in-charge (OC) of Fulgazi Police Station Abul Hasim said one Akram Hossain of Basantapur village along with his family members were going to visit a relative's house on the auto rickshaw.
On the way, when they reached Shanirhat area, a speeding pickup-van rammed into their auto rickshaw coming from opposite direction, leaving two persons dead on the spot and three others were critically injured.
The injured were taken to Feni General Hospital.
Later, the injured were sent to Chattogram Medical College and Hospital for better treatment, OC said.
The pickup driver has been arrested over this incident, the OC added.