‘He drove half-asleep, then fled’: Survivors blame driver after microbus plunges into canal in Noakhali

Eleven family members went to Dhaka to pick up Bahar Uddin on his return from Oman. But on the way back, their microbus plunged into a canal, killing seven of them

Relatives who survived a microbus accident in Noakhali’s Begumganj have blamed the driver’s negligence for the deaths of seven of their loved ones.

Despite repeated requests, the driver, Russell, continued to drive while drowsy and refused to take a break, according to the survivors.

When the vehicle eventually veered off the road into a canal, they allege that Russell escaped through the window without unlocking the doors for the passengers.

Grieving family members, including expatriate Bahar Uddin and his father Abdur Rahim, broke down while recounting the incident at their home in the Choupalli area of Lakshmipur Sadar’s Kashari Bari on Wednesday.

The household was plunged into despair after the loss of seven family members. Relatives were seen sobbing, and neighbours were also deeply moved by the tragedy.

Family members said Bahar Uddin, who had returned home from Oman after two and a half years, was being welcomed with great joy.

On Tuesday night, 11 family members went to Dhaka’s Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in a microbus to bring Bahar home. With Bahar onboard, 12 people set off for Lakshmipur.

But just 10km from home, the driver lost control of the vehicle and plunged into a roadside canal along the Lakshmipur-Dhaka regional highway in the Purba Bazar area early on Wednesday morning.

Bahar Uddin said the driver was visibly sleepy while driving.

"We asked him several times to stop and rest, but he refused," he said.

He added that they narrowly avoided an accident earlier near Cumilla.

Eventually, the drowsy driver lost control, causing the vehicle to fall into the canal.

Abdur Rahim, Bahar’s father, said: “Even after the vehicle fell into the canal, it didn’t sink immediately. It went down slowly. We asked the driver to unlock the doors, but he didn’t.”

"Instead, he rolled down the window, got out, and fled without trying to save anyone."

Bahar, Abdur Rahim, Bahar’s father-in-law Iskandar Mirza, sister-in-law Sweety, and brother-in-law Riaz managed to escape the sinking vehicle.

However, Bahar’s wife Kabita Akhter, 24, daughter Mim Akhter, 2, mother Murshida Begum, 50, grandmother Foyzunnesa, 70, nieces Reshma Akhter, 9, and Lamia Akhter, 8, and sister-in-law Laboni Akhter, 25, could not get out.

Md Mobarak Hossain Bhuiyan, chief of Chandrangaj Highway Police Station, said that the accident occurred as the driver fell asleep. Though some of the passengers were rescued, seven others were trapped in the vehicle and died.

“Their bodies have been recovered and taken home by their family,” he added

Efforts are under way to track down the driver, he said.