Case filed against two drivers over Sylhet bus accident

A case has been filed against the drivers of two buses involved in the head-on collision between Unique Transport and Bengal Sleeper buses on the Sylhet-Dhaka highway in the Kashikapon area of Osmaninagar upazila in Sylhet.

Sherpur Highway Police Station Officer-in-Charge Anisur Rahman confirmed the matter on Sunday, August 9.

He said the case was filed at Osmaninagar Police Station on Saturday night, August 8. The drivers of Unique Transport (Dhaka Metro-B 15-2563), which was heading from Sylhet to Dhaka, and Bengal Sleeper Bus (Dhaka Metro-B 12-5987), heading from Dhaka to Sylhet, have been made accused in the case.

The case was filed by Md Monirul Islam, elder brother of Sazman Jahangir Saurav, who was killed in the accident. The deceased Sazman was the son of Abdus Salam from Pir Kasimpur village in Bangura Bazar Police Station of Cumilla.

Following the tragic accident, the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) temporarily suspended the registration of the two buses on Saturday. The owners and drivers of both buses have been directed to appear in person at the BRTA office within five working days to explain the cause of the accident. Sylhet BRTA Assistant Director Engineer Abdur Rashid issued the order.

Additionally, the district administration has formed a five-member high-level investigation committee headed by Sylhet Additional District Magistrate Pinki Saha to investigate the actual cause of the accident.

On Friday morning, August 7, a head-on collision between Unique Transport and Bengal Sleeper Coach on the Sylhet-Dhaka highway in the Kashikapon area claimed a total of nine lives. All the deceased were passengers of Unique Transport. Among the 24 injured, 14 are currently undergoing treatment in hospitals.