Death Toll Rises to 15 in Sylhet Road Crash

At least 15 people were dead and ten were injured after a truck rammed into a pickup van on Sylhet-Dhaka highway at Nazir Bazar in Dakkhin Surma upazila on Wednesday, reports UNB.

Nine of the deceased were identified as Haris Mia, 50, Sourav, 25, Sadhu Mia, 40, Tayef Nur, 45, Sagar, 18, Rashid Mia, 40, Dulal Mia, 55, Badsha Mia, 45 and Wahid Ali, 40 of Sunamganj district while the identities of four people could not be known immediately.

“The accident occurred around 5:30am when the sand-carrying truck hit a pick-up van carrying construction workers in Kutubpur area, leaving 11 people dead and 12 others injured,” Dakkhin Surma police station Officer-in-Charge Md Samsuddoha said.

The injured were taken to Sylhet Osmani Medical College and Hospital where the doctors declared four of them dead.

The pickup van with 20-22 construction workers were heading towards Tajpur.

Sylhet Fire Service and Civil Defence Deputy Director Maniruzzaman said so far they have recovered 11 bodies from the spot but the death toll may increase further.

Vehicular movement on Sylhet-Dhaka highway remained suspended for three hours following the accident.

A long tailback formed after the accident on the highway. However, vehicular movement resumed around 8am following police intervention.