GAIBANDHA – At least 18 people were killed and 20 others injured in a tragic road accident on the Bogra-Rangpur Highway in Bashkhali area under Palashbari upazila of the district in the early hours of today.

The accident took place when the driver of Panchagarh-bound passengers bus from Dhaka lost the control over its steering at Bashkhali point of the
highway around 5 pm causing the bus hit a roadside tree and turned turtle leaving 16 passengers dead on the spot and injuring 22 others.

Being informed, the men of Fire Service and Civil Defense and the highway police rushed in, rescued the injured passengers and sent them to Upazila
Health Complex, Bogra and Rangpur Medial College Hospital promptly for treatment.

Of the injured, one died on the way to Rangpur Medical College Hospital and another died in the hospital while undergoing treatment, said Mahmudul Alam, officer-in-charge (OC) of Palashbari thana.

The bodies of the ill-fated men had been kept at Gobindaganj Highway thana till filling of this report at 2 pm but their identities could not be known
immediately, said Akteruzzaman, OC of Gobindaganj Highway thana.

Deputy Commissioner (DC) Gautam Chandra Pal and superintendent of police Engineer Abdul Mannan Miah visited the spot and enquired about the injured and their treatment.

Talking to the BSS DC Gautam Chandra Pal said Taka 10,000 was allotted for each of the deceased on behalf of the district administration primarily.