15 killed as truck plunges into ditch

At least 20 people were killed and dozens injured in separate road accidents in Tangail, Munshiganj, Gopalganj and Bogura on Monday, the deadliest one taking 15 lives, report agencies.
The deadliest accident took place in Tangail's Kalihati upazila, where 15 people were killed and eight others injured when a truck carrying iron rods plunged into a roadside ditch near the eastern side of the Jamuna Bridge on the Dhaka-Tangail-Northern region highway early in the morning.
Police said the accident occurred around 4:15am at Jokarchar area when the Chattogram-bound truck carrying around 25 passengers lost control and fell into the ditch.
Fifteen people died on the spot while the injured were taken to Tangail General Hospital.
Twelve of the deceased were identified as Sagor Mia, 20, son of Sakim Mia, Rabiul Islam, 25, son of Shahidul Islam, Barik, 21, son of Abdur Rashid, Badsha, 32, son of Rahim, Yeakub, 20, son of Ekabbar Ali, Tarek, 20, son of Sultan of Rajendrabari village in Manda upazila , Sariqul, 25, son of Saidul of Malanchi village in Niamatpur upazila, Gias, 20, son of Rashid and Mainul, 28 of Pakuria village in Manda upazila of Naogaon district, Ismail Hossain, 19, son of Altaf Hossain of Tanore upazila in Rajshahi district, Nazrul Islam, 60 of Shibganj upazila and Mamun, 45 of Sadar upazila in Chapainawabganj district.
On information, police and fire service men rushed to the spot and recovered the bodies.
All the deceased boarded the truck from Mohipal area of Feni district, police said.
Ten of the deceased are from Naogaon, including nine youths from the same union in Manda. They boarded the truck to return home from Noakhali, where they used to work as hawkers.
They chose the truck for one simple reason: they could not afford the soaring Eid bus fares.
According to locals in Naogaon, transport fares had increased by Tk 1,800 to Tk 2,000 ahead of Eid. For low-income workers struggling to survive, that amount was enormous.
The sudden deaths of the youths triggered scenes of mourning across Manda and Niamatpur upazilas, leaving the victims' families devastated. Sabina Khatun, wife of deceased Badshah Mia, has been left devastated after suddenly losing her husband in the accident. She repeatedly broke down in tears while holding their only daughter Rahi Moni.
In a choked voice, Sabina said, "I spoke to my husband several times while he was returning home. He said he would buy a new dress and mehendi for our daughter. I last spoke to him around 10:00pm on Sunday. In the morning, I received the news of his death."
In another accident, a man and his two-year-old daughter were killed when an unidentified vehicle hit their motorcycle on the Dhaka-Rangpur highway in Shajahanpur upazila of Bogura district in the morning.
The deceased were identified as Anisur Rahman, 35, and his two-year-old daughter Pushpa.
The accident occurred around 6.30am in Banani area when an unidentified vehicle hit a motorcycle, leaving the bike riders father and daughter dead on the spot.
Ayesha Begum, wife of Anisur, was injured in the incident.
According to Bogura Fire Service official Shahidul Islam, Anisur Rahman, was travelling to his village home in Pabna with his wife and daughter on the occasion of the Eid holidays.
When they reached the Banani area on the highway, an unidentified vehicle struck their motorcycle, throwing them onto the road. Anishur Rahman and his daughter died on the spot, while Ayesha Begum sustained injuries.
In Munshiganj, two people were killed in separate accidents on the Dhaka-Mawa Expressway and the Dhaka-Chattogram Highway early Monday.
A truck driver died when his vehicle crashed into another truck near Dogachi Army Camp on the expressway, while a lorry helper was killed when a speeding lorry hit a covered van during a U-turn near Dori Baushia area.
The deceased were identified as truck driver Md. Hossain, 35, son of Md. Tabu of Muslim Para in Belgachi upazila of Chuadanga district, and lorry helper Antor Das, 18, son of Manik Das of Chandpur village in Senbag upazila.
According to police, the first accident occurred around 2:00 am on the Dhaka-Mawa Expressway in front of the Dogachi Army Camp. A goods-laden truck crashed into another truck ahead of it, leaving driver Md. Hossain trapped inside the vehicle.
He was rescued in critical condition and taken to Srinagar Upazila Health Complex where he succumbed to his injuries.
In another accident around the same time, a speeding lorry hit a covered van near Manaba Water Park in the Dori Baushia area on the Dhaka-Chattogram Highway while taking a U-turn.
The collision killed lorry helper Antor Das on the spot.
Meanwhile, one person was killed and at least 50 others injured in a series of collisions involving a passenger bus, a microbus and a private car on the Dhaka-Khulna highway in Sadar upazila of Gopalganj.
The unidentified microbus driver died on the spot after the bus plunged into a roadside ditch following the crash.
The accident took place around 2:00pm in Sonasur area when a Dhaka-bound microbus collided head-on with a passenger bus of 'Kotalipa Express' travelling towards Gopalganj, according to eyewitnesses and fire service officials.
Moments after the initial collision, a private car following the microbus reportedly lost control and crashed into the wrecked vehicle.
The force of the collision caused the passenger bus to skid off the highway and plunge into a roadside ditch, while the microbus was left completely mangled. The unidentified driver of the microbus died on the spot.
Local residents, police and members of the fire service rushed to the scene and launched an immediate rescue operation. The injured passengers were taken to Gopalganj Medical College Hospital and the district's 250-bed General Hospital for treatment.
Hospital authorities said several of the injured were in critical condition.