Six, including student, die in Barishal road crash

Six people, including a college student, have died and five others sustained injuries as a bus hit a human hauler, locally known as Mahendra, on Barishal-Banaripara road at Tetultala in the city on Friday morning.

Five of the deceased could be identified immediately.

Those identified were Shila Haldar, 24, a Masters student of Barishal BM College, Manik Shikdar, 40, Mahendra driver Khokon, 35, Sohel, 25, and Parvin. 

The fifth whose identity could not be known immediately is around 50 years old, according to police and fire service officials.

Barishad Fire Service and Civil Defence’s Station Officer Yunus Ali said the accident took place leaving Shila dead on the spot and 10 others injured.

The injured were rushed to Barishal Sher-e-Bangla Medical College and Hospital, but doctors declared five of them dead, he said.

Barishal Metropolitan Airport Police Station’s Officer-in-Charge Abdur Rahman Mukul said traffic movement on the road was halted for half an hour due to the accident.

Both the bus that belongs to Durjoy Paribahan and the Mahendra involved in the accident have been seized, he said, but the bus driver could not be arrested as he ran way.

Students in their hundreds recently took to streets in Dhaka city and in many others parts of the country, demanding safe roads.

They demanded that the roads be made safe for people through enforcing laws properly, and freeing the sector from political influence.

Despite promises from the authorities and transport leaders to bring discipline in the sector, deaths in the road accidents, however, continue across the country, including the capital city.