Noakhali: Seven people were killed when a speeding microbus plunged into a roadside canal in the Chandraganj area under Begumganj upazila of the district early today.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, Abdul Hamid, assistant director of the Fire Service and Civil Defence, confirmed the incident. The deceased are all members of the same family, hailing from the Choupolli area of Uttar Joypur union under Lakshmipur Sadar upazila. However, their identities could not be immediately established.
Police and local sources reported that the accident occurred around 5:30 am when the microbus was heading towards Lakshmipur from Dhaka. The vehicle lost control and fell into a roadside canal, resulting in the instant death of seven individuals.
Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Chandraganj Highway Police Station, Md Mobarak Hossain Bhuiyan, stated, “We suspect that the driver fell asleep while driving, which led to the accident. Although a few passengers managed to escape, seven others were trapped inside and succumbed.”
Locals attempted to rescue the injured and transported them to nearby hospitals, assuming they were still alive. Police are currently working to recover the bodies and verify the identities of the deceased, added the OC.