TBM Report
Two passengers died on the spot and four others sustained critical injuries in a devastating head-on collision between a passenger bus and a CNG-run auto-rickshaw in the Rajapur upazila of Jhalakathi on Thursday. The accident occurred on the Pirojpur-Barishal regional highway near the Samabay area around noon on July 30.
According to local witnesses and law enforcement officials, the Dhaka-bound passenger bus belonging to ‘Barishal Express’ was travelling at high speed. The auto-rickshaw was heading toward Bhandaria carrying passengers from Barishal. The inter-district bus reportedly lost control while attempting a reckless overtaking maneuver, crashing directly into the oncoming auto-rickshaw.
The collision was severe enough to completely crush the three-wheeler. Two passengers died instantly from head trauma and massive blood loss. Four others, including the driver of the auto-rickshaw, were thrown onto the tarmac with severe compound fractures and bodily injuries. Right after the crash, the driver of the Barishal Express bus sped away from the scene to evade arrest.
Fire service personnel and Rajapur police rushed to the scene immediately after receiving emergency calls. Rescuers extracted the bodies of the deceased from the twisted wreckage and dispatched them to the local police station. Paramedics transferred the four injured survivors to the Rajapur Upazila Health Complex for immediate medical intervention.
Attending medical staff noted that the condition of at least two injured passengers remains critical. Doctors are preparing to transfer them to Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital in Barishal for specialized trauma care if their vitals deteriorate further.
Speaking on the incident, the Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Rajapur Police Station confirmed that a formal investigation has been launched. Police are actively analyzing local surveillance footage and interviewing eyewitnesses to trace the fled Barishal Express bus and detain its driver. Legal formalities regarding the inquest and post-mortem procedures are currently underway.
