DHAKA: The “RP Special” bus involved in Tuesday's (Oct 20) road crash on the Pabna-Rajshahi highway in Natore, which left 12 people dead and more than 30 injured, had been operating on a long-distance route for five months without an updated fitness certificate, according to police and members of the probe committee.
The bus owner said he began operating the vehicle on the Barguna-Chapainawabganj route four months ago. He claimed he had submitted the necessary papers for a fitness certificate but had yet to receive the updated approval.
The Chapainawabganj-bound bus usually leaves Barguna at around 6pm and reaches its destination at around 6am, covering more than 500 kilometres.
On Tuesday, while travelling on this route with more than 40 passengers on board, the bus crashed into a sand-laden truck coming from the opposite direction.
At around 4:15am, as the bus neared the Bonpara police outpost, the driver lost control of the vehicle and collided head-on with a truck.
“Following the accident, we initiated an investigation. Our preliminary findings indicate that the long-distance bus was operating on the highway without an updated fitness certificate for the last five months.
"We are investigating how it was allowed to run on this long route for so long without proper certification,” said Md Alamgir Hossain, officer-in-charge of Bonpara Highway Police Station.
The OC added that the vehicle’s fitness certificate had expired in May. The matter has been reported to the district administration’s probe committee.
When contacted, bus owner Md Mintu Ali said he had applied to the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) to update the vehicle’s documents but had to continue operating without an updated certificate because of delays.
“I purchased the Ashok Leyland vehicle a year ago and rented it out for private tours or picnics for a few months. After obtaining route permit, I started operating it on this route four months ago. The bus was completely wrecked in the accident,” Mintu Ali said.
This correspondent tried to contact BRTA officials to crosscheck the owner's claim about delays in updating the certificate, but repeated attempts were unsuccessful.
Md Abul Hayat, additional district magistrate (ADM) of Natore and head of the seven-member probe committee, confirmed to The Daily Star that the bus had been operating without fitness clearance for five months.
“We will check all papers, official documents, and safety requirements to identify the root cause. We will not make further comments until the investigation is complete,” the ADM said.
The probe committee visited the accident site today.
Asked about allegations that a supervisor or helper was driving the bus instead of a qualified driver, Mintu Ali said a driver was at the wheel.
“Sohel Rana is an experienced driver, and the accident was simply the result of a momentary lapse in concentration,” Mintu claimed.
Denying passengers’ claims that the driver had been sleeping while a helper drove, Mintu insisted that two drivers were on board.
Sources said operating a 500-kilometre night journey with a single driver was hazardous. They added that occasional drivers often took over on many routes, sometimes leading to accidents.
The ADM said the probe committee would also investigate the claim.
“Our preliminary assessment suggests the driver may have been drowsy, leading to a loss of control. We will reveal all findings regarding the cause of the accident after the final investigation concludes,” Hayat added.
Meanwhile, dozens of injured passengers are receiving treatment at various hospitals in Rajshahi and Natore.
No new fatalities had been reported till this report was filed at around 2pm on Wednesday (Oct 21). - The Daily Star/ANN
