At least 10 people, including five of a family, were killed and four others injured when the truck carrying them turned turtle in Bhaluka upazila of Mymensingh early yesterday. The deceased were identified as Jyostna Begum (55) her son Md Shirajul Islam (18), five members of a family—Md Azizul Haque (40), his wife Rezia Begum (35), their three sons Mehedi Hasan (11), Nayon (9) and Sizan (7)— Md Sajahan Hossain (40), Md Sukur Ali (65) and Khorshed Ali (25). The passengers hailed from Mymensingh Sadar, Tarakanda upazila of Mymensingh, Nakla upazila of Sherpur, and Nalitabari upazila of Sherpur, police said. The bodies were handed over to their families, said Md Mamun-or-Rashid, officer-in-charge of Bhaluka police station.
The cement-laden truck was travelling to Sherpur from Dhaka. It overturned after its wheels got stuck on a pothole on the Dhaka-Mymensingh highway in Meherabari area around 4am, leaving nine people dead on the spot. This has been confirmed by Md Zahurul Islam, a member of Bharaduba highway police.
Five others were injured in the accident. They were taken to the Bhaluka upazila health complex where Sukur Ali succumbed to his injuries. The rest were released from the hospital in the afternoon. The police seized the truck. However, the driver managed to flee the scene. Deputy inspector general of police (Mymensingh Range), Chowdhury Abdullah Al Mamun, deputy commissioner of Mymensingh, Md Khalilur Rahman, and police superintendent of Mymensingh, Syed Nurul Islam, visited the spot.