Three die in autorickshaw-truck collision in Chattogram

A CNG-run autorickshaw collides head-on with a salt-laden truck in Chattogram’s Patiya Upazila

Three people, including a child, have died after a CNG-run autorickshaw collided head-on with a salt-laden truck in Chattogram’s Patiya Upazila.

The incident occurred near Hakkani Paper Mill in the Upazila’s Military Pool area on the Patiya-Boalkhali road in the early hours of Friday.

The dead have been identified with single names as autorickshaw passengers Fahim, 5, his aunt Rumi, 25, and autorickshaw driver Anwar, 55.

Fahim and Rumi hailed from Patiya’s Janglukhain Union while Anwar was from Boalkhali Upazila.

Patiya Police Station Sub-Inspector Abdul Baten told bdnews24.com that the autorickshaw was headed to Patiya carrying passengers, while the truck was headed to Boalkhali.

He said the collision took place when the autorickshaw was speeding down from the Military Pool Bridge while the truck, carrying around eight tonnes of salt, was heading up the bridge at maximum speed. The two crashed, leaving the three-wheeler severely damaged on the scene.

A victim died on the spot while the two others passed away on their way to the hospital.

Police have seized the truck, but the driver managed to flee, Baten said.