Two dead after car crashes into road divider in Dhaka's Banani

Police say the speeding car veered into the road divider before getting on the Mohakhali flyover and caught fire

Two people have died after a car veered out of control and slammed into a road divider near the Setu Bhaban in Dhaka’s Banani.

The victims were identified as Rintu, 40, and Shawkat Hossain Kanan, 41.

The accident occurred around 2:15am on Saturday when the Toyota Corolla was heading from Banani towards the Mohakhali flyover, according to Banani police chief Russell Sarwar. The car subsequently burst into flames.

Rintu died at Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) and Kanan at Kurmitola General Hospital.

“The speeding car hit the road divider before getting on the Mohakhali flyover and caught fire. Passersby rescued the injured from the car and took them to hospital, where two of them died.”

Another person, known only as Hasnat, was also in the car at the time of the accident, according to Sub-Inspector Siddiq Hossain from Banani Police Station.

"We are trying to find out whether he's been admitted to any hospital. One of the three was driving the car, but we have yet to confirm who it was,” said SI Siddiq.

He added that the bodies of the two victims are currently at the DMCH morgue for autopsy.

Khaleda Yasmin, duty officer at the Fire Service Control Room, said they were alerted about the incident around 2:30am. Two firefighting units subsequently extinguished the flames around 3am.

However, the firefighters did not find anyone inside the car after putting out the flames, Yasmin added.