Sirajganj Correspondent: Dhaka, Aug-25,

At least three persons were killed when a speeding truck hit a battery-operated auto-rickshaw on the Dhaka-North Bengal highway in Sirajganj in the early hours of Wednesday.

The deceased were identified as Haider Ali, 55, son of Phulchand, Khoda Baksh, 35, son of Motahar Hossain of Ullapra upazila, and Shahadat Hossain, 50, of Kamarkhand upazila. The victims were all occupants of the three-wheeler.

Shahjahan Ali, officer-in-charge of Hatikumrul Highway Police Station, said the Rajshahi-bound truck rammed the auto-rickshaw near Pachalia Bazar in Sirajganj's Ullapara upazila around 5.30 am after its driver lost control of the speeding vehicle.

The impact of the crash was such that the driver of the auto-rickshaw died on the spot. The remaining two, both passengers, later succumbed to their injuries, the OC said.

On information, police recovered the bodies and sent them to the local hospital morgue for post-mortem.

Road accidents in Bangladesh

At least 2,329 people, including 291 women and 381 children, were killed and 4,361 others injured in 2,159 road accidents across the country in the first half of this year, according to a report published in July.

It says the road accidents occurred on various highways, national, inter-district and regional roads between January 1 and June 30 across the country.

Shipping and Communication Reporters Forum (SCRF), a platform of journalists, prepared the report based on news items carried by 22 national dailies, 10 regional newspapers and eight online news portals and agencies.

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