18 persons killed in road crash in Bangladesh

Eighteen persons were killed, including two women, and 47 others injured in a road crash in northern Bangladesh on Wednesday, police said.

Police and hospital sources said one bus bound for Bogra from the capital Dhaka and another from western Pabna collided head-on on the Dhaka-Bogra highway, killing 18 persons.

Hospital sources said condition of the 17 wounded persons was stated to be precarious in hospital.

Primary report said the accident occurred when a bus from capital Dhaka lost control and crushed into another bus at about 11:15 am local time (5:15 GMT). Local people said the casualty figure may go up as condition of some injured passengers were critical.

The injured passengers were rushed to different hospitals and clinics nearby.

Police said most passengers of the two buses were returning to their work places after Muslim's Eid festival and subsequent political agitation that disrupted communications late last month.

The accident on highway is a regular feature in the country where bus drivers do not take much care of traffic rule while the traffic department does not monitor the speed limit of vehicles on roads.

Source: Xinhua