DHAKA, Bangladesh (AP) — At least 15 people died and 10 others sustained injuries when a truck loaded with iron rods and carrying passengers flipped over on a main highway during the early morning hours Monday in central Bangladesh, according to police reports.
The accident occurred around 5 a.m. when the driver lost control of the vehicle in the Soratoil area of Tangail district, located 83 kilometers (52 miles) northwest of Dhaka, the country’s capital, according to local police chief Fuad Hossain.
The truck was transporting hitchhiking passengers and was en route from Dhaka to the northern part of the country as holiday travelers began their journeys before the Islamic festival Eid al-Adha scheduled for Thursday, Hossain explained. The vehicle rolled over, killing the victims instantly at the crash site, he reported.
According to the official, the majority of those aboard were day laborers making their way to reunite with family members for the religious celebration.
People who saw the accident told television news outlets that they hurried to the crash site after hearing the commotion and began helping to rescue passengers who had become trapped.
Traffic fatalities claim thousands of lives annually in this country of over 170 million residents due to poor enforcement of driving regulations, deteriorating roadway infrastructure and inexperienced drivers.
