7 killed, 20 injured as picnic bus rams tree in Feni

7 killed, 20 injured as picnic bus rams tree in Feni

A Cox’s Bazar-bound bus carrying holidaymakers hit a roadside tree in the Sadar Upazila’s Lemua area of Feni district, killing seven people and injuring at least 20 others on Thursday morning.

The accident took place near Lemua Bridge on the Dhaka-Chattogram Highway around 7am.

Police have identified the deceased as Opu, 35, and Sujon Mia, 28, from Bikrampur; Iqbal, 38, and Shamim, 30, from Dhaka’s Mirpur; Ripon, 30, from Madaripur; Munna Khan, 30, from Narayanganj; and Shahadat Hossain, 28, from Feni.

Feni’s police chief Nurunnabi said six of them died on the spot after the ‘Prime Paribahan’ bus from Dhaka hit a tree.

Another person succumbed to his injuries while being taken to hospital, said Sub-Inspector Kawsar of Mohipal Highway Police Outpost.

Some of the injured were identified as Akhter, 22, Opu, 25, Iqbal, Dulal, 27, and Sakina, 65, from Mirpur; Asma, 18, Foysal, 23, Munna, 50, Azam, 18, and Dulal, 13, from Narayanganj; Ripon, 30, from Madaripur; and Ripon, 40, from Tongi.

Kawsar said the victims were going to Cox’s Bazar from Dhaka’s Mirpur to enjoy a picnic after the Eid-ul-Azha, the second largest religious festival of the Muslims.

The injured were initially taken to 250-bed Feni Modern Sadar Hospital.

“Seventeen of them have been shifted to Dhaka Medical College Hospital as their condition deteriorated,” said Dr Nazmul Haq Shammi of Feni hospital.