OUR CORRESPONDENT, Cumilla

Seven passengers were killed and six others injured after a rice-laden truck lost control and overturned on the Dhaka-Chattogram highway in Daudkandi yesterday.

The accident occurred at 3:10am in Hasanpur under Daudkandi Police Station, said Daudkandi Highway Police Station Officer-in-Charge Iqbal Bahar Majumdar.

The deceased are Mohammad Afzal Hossain, 35, Sohrab Hossain, 40, Salek, 45, Suman, 21, Abu Hossain, Abdur Rashid, 55, and Bishu, 35. They are all from Dinajpur.

Quoting witnesses, police said the truck, travelling towards Chattogram, lost control and veered off the road. Thirteen passengers were riding on top of the vehicle and were trapped underneath when it overturned. Seven died on the spot, while six were injured.

The victims, mostly agricultural labourers, were heading to Cumilla for work. The injured alleged that the truck’s helper was driving the vehicle at the time of the crash.

Fire Service and police rescued the injured and took them to a local hospital. They also recovered the bodies.

The OC said the damaged vehicle had been removed and traffic on the highway had resumed.