All killed in Sylhet bus crash were Unique Paribahan passengers, police say

At least nine people, including a child, have been killed after two buses collided head-on while one of them was trying to overtake a pickup van in Sylhet’s Osmani Nagar, police say.

The crash occurred around 7am on Friday near Kashikapon along the Dhaka-Sylhet Highway. The accident left at least 12 others injured.

Osmani Nagar Police Station chief Md Anisur Rahman said all those killed were passengers of a Unique Paribahan bus.

According to witnesses, a Dhaka-bound Bengal Paribahan bus was attempting to overtake a pickup van when it collided head-on with a Sylhet-bound Unique Paribahan bus travelling in the opposite direction.

In a video circulated on social media, a rescuer said he rushed to the scene after hearing about the crash and found both buses badly damaged. 

According to him, the Bengal Paribahan bus was trying to overtake a pickup van when the collision occurred.

He added, “When we arrived, we saw many people had died and many others were injured. The injured were being taken to the hospital. We worked together to recover the bodies from the bus. 

“Later, members of the Fire Service, police and local residents joined the rescue operation.”

“We handed the bodies over to police. It was a tragic incident and we are deeply saddened.”

Highway Police have identified four of the victims as Saiful Islam, 50, of Kuliarchar Upazila in Kishoreganj; Faiza, 3, who hailed from Dakshin Surma in Sylhet; Saptam Roy Pritam, 22, from Sobhanighat area of Sylhet city; and Shilpi Peheli Bhairabi, 17, a native of Bhairab Upazila in Kishoreganj.

Citing witnesses, officer Anisur said the Bengal Paribahan bus collided head-on with the oncoming Unique Paribahan bus while trying to overtake the pickup van, sending the latter into a roadside ditch.

“All those killed were passengers of the Unique Paribahan bus. Most of the injured were also travelling on that bus,” he added.