Adviser Faruk E Azam orders officials to identify ‘faults’ at Jangalia crash site

Faruk E Azam, the interim government’s Liberation War affairs and disaster management adviser, has instructed authorities to examine the site of a road crash that killed 10 people at Lohagara Upazila’s Jangalia and determine the causes behind the frequent accidents there.

Faruk, alongside Chattogram Deputy Commissioner Farida Khanom, visited the scene of Wednesday’s crash in the evening.

“I’ll discuss this with the road transport and bridges ministry today. I’ve asked Roads and Highways Department officials to find inconsistencies in the road. They’re here. They’ll look it over and determine what needs to be done as soon as possible,” he said.

The Bangladesh Road Transport Association (BRTA) will give Tk 500,000 to each of the deceased. They will also receive Tk 50,000 each from the interim government, according to Faruk, a freedom fighter.

“We’re making arrangements for proper treatment of the injured. We’ve already delivered Tk 15,000 to each of them and the BRTA will give Tk 300,000 apiece. If more money is needed for treatment, the government will provide.”

Faruk pointed out that such tragedies had been frequent at the location for a long time, even in other sections of the road.

“It takes us three-four hours to travel from Chattogram to Cox’s Bazar. And people fly from Dhaka to Cox’s Bazar in half an hour, which is discrimination and should be stopped.”

“And the places where the driving is reckless need to be identified and the obstacles properly removed. The roads authority must take proper action towards this…”

Around 7am, a Chattogram-bound bus crashed into an oncoming microbus head-on after “swerving” out of a bend, according to accounts by rescuers and bystanders.

Seven people died on the spot, two others succumbed to injuries at the Chattogram Medical College Hospital while another died at Lohagara Health Complex.

Wednesday’s crash is the third serious accident in the Jangalia area in three days. Five people were killed in an accident on Monday, which was Eid day.

Drivers, road transport workers’ leaders, police, fire service and locals all spoke about different sections in the hilly road containing quite many bumps and bends. The road, being a route for salt and soil-laden trucks, remains slippery as well.

Drivers in cars with tourists during the Eid holidays are not used to navigating the road and lose control on curves and slopes. Police also believe that reckless speeds are also a cause for concern.