At least eight traders were killed and another was injured critically when a vegetable-laden truck plunged into a roadside ditch near Bangabandhu Bridge Extension Road in Tangail Sadar upazila early yesterday.
The deceased were identified as Abdus Sobhan, 32, Noor Mohammad, 35, and Dhiren, 40, of Noyonpur village; Mohammad Shahanur, 45, Hurmud, 42, Azizar Fakir, 50, and Mahin, 23, of Ganganarayanpur village; and Farhad Miah, 25, of Bolidaha village in Sadullahpur upazila of Gaibandha.
Critically injured Tara Miah, 16, was admitted to Tangail General Hospital.
Witnesses said the Dhaka-bound truck, which was carrying 14 vegetable traders from Gaibandha, fell into the ditch at Kandila at about 12:30am.
Eight of them died on the spot as sacks of vegetables fell on them after the plunge.
Muslimuddin, who escaped unhurt, told The Daily Star the driver was recklessly driving the truck and at one stage, he lost control over the steering and the truck fell into the ditch.
Police and fire brigade personnel recovered the bodies in the morning and sent those to the hospital morgue for autopsy.
Jasimuddin Sarkar, officer-in-charge of Tangail Model Police Station, said the driver and helpers also escaped the accident unhurt and managed to flee.
