Reckless ‘Bihanga’ snuffs out two lives

 A rashly-driven bus of Bihanga Paribahan claimed two lives at Banglamotor intersection in the capital yesterday. 

The bus driver lost control over the steering and hit a motorcyclist first and ran over two pedestrians while trying to flee the scene, leaving two dead on the spot, one injured. 

The deceased were Belayet, 52, hailing from Barisal's Muladi and Moksudur, 42, from Brahmanbaria's Sarail upazila. The injured was Zakir, 40.

Confirming the matter to The Business Standard, Refatul Islam, assistant commissioner of Ramna Traffic Zone, said, "Police constable Mohon detained the bus driver named Md Jafar Mollah, 57, while fleeing from the spot. The bus has been seized too."

Police have sent the bodies to Dhaka Medical College Hospital. The injured is now undergoing treatment in the same hospital. 

When contacted, Nasir Uddin Khokan, director of Bihanga Paribahan Limited, claimed that Jafar Mollah is a senior driver, he has a driving license and other papers.

He further said, "There was no technical problem on the bus. The driver lost control over steering." 

However, the driver claimed that brake failure caused the accident. He tried hard to stop the vehicle hitting the road divider twice, but failed. Later, he hit the footpath at one point. 

Sheikh Muhammad Shamim, assistant commissioner of DMP's Ramna zone said the driver has a licence and the bus has a fitness certificate too. 

"The driver's reckless driving and his losing control of the vehicle led to the accident. We produced the driver before a Dhaka court, and a murder case has also already been lodged," he added. 

Driver Zafar also claimed that he never did such an accident in his 20-year driving career. 

"The accident took place due to brake failure. I tried a lot to save them. But unfortunately, I could not," he said with sadness. 

After the accident, he tried to flee, and police constable Mohan Chandra Gain caught him from in front of Panthakunja Park. 

"He was trying to flee, but we were able to detain him with the help of people," the constable said. 

Mohammad Talha, son of deceased Belayet, told The Business Standard, "My father was the lone wage earner in our family. He used to trade oil on footpaths. He would meet our family expenses from his earnings." 

"Now, we do not know how our family will run without my father. Who will bear the educational expense of mine and my brother?" he said in a choked voice. 

"We want punishment to the reckless driver."

Habibulla Khan, a nephew of another dead Moksudur, said his uncle's family members fell in deep crisis with the death of his uncle. He has three daughters and a son. They all are students. 

He said, "My uncle used to work at a privet organisation. He was going to Panthopath for an official purpose but met the tragic accident. 

He further said his uncle's income did not cover their family expenses. So, one of his daughters has been studying staying in one of their relatives' house in Chattogram. His elder daughter is a student of Jagannath University. 

Earlier on August 27 in 2019, a speeding bus of Trust Transport Services lost control, drove onto the sidewalk, and hit Bangladesh Inland Water Transportation Corporation's Assistant Manager Krishna Rai Chowdhury, 55, at Banglamotor intersection. Later, her left leg had to be amputated below the knee.