Death toll rises to four after buses crash on Chattogram-Cox’s Bazar Highway

The death toll from a head-on collision between two buses in Chattogram’s Lohagara has risen to four, police said.

One victim died at the scene, while three others died after being taken to hospital following the crash on Saturday morning near Jangalia along the Chattogram-Cox’s Bazar Highway.

The dead were identified as Rehena Begum, 65, from Chattogram’s Patiya; Naimul Islam Jihan, 23, and Md Naim, 21, both from Gopalpur in Jhenaidah; and Monir Ahmed, 20, from Bhola.

Lohagara Police chief Md Abdullah said several critically injured passengers had been sent to Chittagong Medical College Hospital.

Hospital police outpost Sub-Inspector Alauddin Talukdar said two injured men -- Dip Datta and Md Masum, both around 23 years old and from Jhenaidah -- were admitted for treatment.

People accompanying them told police that all were students of a college in Jhenaidah. Eight friends had been travelling to Cox’s Bazar when the crash occurred.

Police said a Marsha Paribahan bus travelling from Chattogram to Cox’s Bazar collided head-on with another oncoming bus of the same company.

Lohagara Fire Service and Civil Defence Sub-Officer Firoz Khan said locals rushed to rescue victims immediately after the crash.

“We recovered a dead woman from the Cox’s Bazar-bound bus and rescued four injured passengers from the other bus,” he said.