Eid outing turns tragic as multi-vehicle crash kills 3 in Meherpur

Three people, including a 10-year-old child, have died after a three-way collision involving a motorcycle, a van and an SUV in Meherpur town on Eid day.

The crash occurred in front of a British American Tobacco (BAT) purchasing centre on Monday, according to Sheikh Mezbah Uddin, chief of Meherpur Sadar Police Station.

The victims have been identified as motorcycle riders Akhtaruzzaman Shovon and Al Imran, 35, and van passenger Zubayer Hossain, 10.

Van driver Ali Hasan, his wife Taqlima Khatun, and the SUV driver Palash were injured.

The SUV was travelling at a high speed from Amjhupi towards Meherpur, according to Sohrab Hossain, a witness. "It first hit the van head-on, throwing it into a roadside ditch, before colliding with the oncoming motorcycle. Both the motorcycle and the van crashed into a roadside milepost," he said.

Shovon, who had just started a job at a bank after completing his education, was from Baribaka village. His friend, Al Imran, a final-year student at Islamic University, was from nearby Ujolpur. They had gone out for an Eid day ride to meet friends.

Van driver Ali Hasan, from Dhanakhola village in Gangni, was out with his wife and son, celebrating Eid with a family outing.

The SUV had reportedly left a private clinic named Impact and was heading home.

Mezbah revealed that doctors declared the three dead upon arrival at the hospital. Two others were admitted for treatment. SUV driver Palash, though injured, has since gone into hiding.

Mezbah added that footage from the BAT purchasing centre's CCTV cameras would help determine the cause of the accident and identify those responsible. No case has been filed yet.