Seven members of the same family were killed early Wednesday morning when a Dhaka-bound microbus lost control and plunged into a roadside canal in the Begumganj area of Noakhali. One person was also injured in the crash.
The tragic accident occurred around 5:30 a.m. near the Chandraganj section of the Noakhali–Laxmipur highway, according to local police and fire service officials.
The victims were returning to their home in North Joypur Union, Laxmipur Sadar, after picking up a relative who had just returned from Oman via Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka.
According to police, the microbus was traveling at high speed when the driver apparently fell asleep at the wheel, causing the vehicle to veer off the road and crash into the canal. Several passengers managed to escape, but seven people remained trapped inside and drowned.
Local residents rushed to the scene and attempted to rescue the passengers. Some survivors were taken to nearby hospitals before emergency services arrived. However, by the time first responders from the Fire Service and Civil Defence and Chandraganj Highway Police reached the location, seven bodies had already been recovered.
“We suspect the driver dozed off while driving, which led to the accident,” said Md. Mobarak Hossain Bhuiyan, officer-in-charge of Chandraganj Highway Police Station. “We have recovered the vehicle and are investigating the incident.”
The injured survivor is currently receiving treatment. Authorities have yet to publicly release the names of the deceased as identification and family notifications are ongoing.
This incident adds to the growing concerns over road safety in Bangladesh, particularly involving long-distance private transport vehicles on highways. Police have urged drivers to take necessary rest breaks and avoid overnight driving when fatigued.
The bodies have been transferred to the local morgue for autopsy, and preparations are underway to hand them over to the family.
An official investigation into the cause of the crash is ongoing.
FP/Raj
Hasina can’t evade responsibility for Khaleda Zia’s death: Nazrul
Pakistan’s National Assembly speaker calls on chief adviser
Three service chiefs attend Khaleda Zia’s janaza
Farewell to a leader; Khaleda Zia laid to rest with state honour
Highest 18 candidates file nominations in Dhaka-12, Gazipur-2
Mirza Fakhrul submits nomination for Thakurgaon-1
Artistes mourn the passing of Khaleda Zia
Khaleda Zia’s janaza held with tears of lakhs of mourners
Rumeen Farhana, Nirob among nine BNP leaders expelled
