BNP leader killed, over 100 injured in 10-vehicle pile-up in Gopalganj

A BNP leader has been killed and more than 100 passengers injured in a pile-up involving 10 vehicles in the Boraitola Bus Stand area of Muksudpur upazila in Gopalganj.

The accident occurred on the Dhaka-Barishal highway on Friday morning.

Two vehicles from the convoy of Gopalganj-1 lawmaker Selimuzzaman Selim were also involved in the accident. Although the lawmaker‍‍`s vehicle sustained some damage, he escaped unharmed.

Elias Fakir, member secretary of the Raghdi Union BNP, was among those seriously injured in the crash. He was rushed to Dhaka for treatment but died at a hospital on Friday afternoon.

According to eyewitnesses and relevant sources, the accident occurred around 10:30 am when a passenger bus collided head-on with a private car near Boraitola Bus Stand on the Dhaka-Barishal highway. Subsequently, several buses, trucks, private cars and engine-powered easy bikes were involved in a series of collisions.

Four passenger buses, two private cars, two trucks and two engine-powered easy bikes were damaged in the accident. Following the crash, traffic on the highway remained suspended for nearly an hour.

Muksudpur Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Abdullah Al Mamun confirmed the accident, saying 20 to 25 critically injured people were rescued and taken to hospitals in Faridpur and Bhanga.

He added that traffic movement on the highway had since returned to normal.

Meanwhile, two vehicles in lawmaker Selimuzzaman Selim‍‍`s convoy were damaged in the accident. The convoy was travelling from Dhaka to his constituency when it met with the crash near Boraitola Bus Stand while entering Muksudpur.

However, the lawmaker escaped unharmed and was reported to be in good health.

Lawmaker Selimuzzaman Selim expressed deep sorrow over the death of BNP leader Elias Fakir and conveyed his condolences to the bereaved family.