Fatal Highway Collision in Karnaphuli: Three Dead After Lorry Crashes Into Microbus in Chittagong

CHITTAGONG, Bangladesh — A horrific head-on collision between a heavy freight lorry and a passenger microbus has left three people dead and several others critically injured along a major transport artery in Karnaphuli upazila, Chittagong.

The violent impact occurred during morning traffic when the high-speed lorry reportedly lost control, veered out of its lane, and slammed directly into the oncoming microbus. The sheer force of the crash crushed the front section of the passenger vehicle, trapping the driver and front-seat passengers in the mangled metal frame.

Local residents and passersby immediately rushed to the scene to assist before teams from the Bangladesh Fire Service and Civil Defence (BFSCD) and local police arrived. Rescue crews utilized hydraulic cutting equipment to clear crushed wreckage and pull victims from the microbus.

Paramedics pronounced three individuals dead at the scene due to fatal traumatic injuries. Fire service personnel and police ambulances stabilized the surviving passengers before transferring them to Chittagong Medical College Hospital (CMCH) for urgent surgical intervention and trauma care. Traffic along the highway was brought to a standstill for nearly two hours as law enforcement cleared debris and towed the heavy vehicles off the roadway.

"Our teams responded immediately to extract the victims trapped inside the crushed microbus," said a senior official from the Karnaphuli Police Station. "We have secured the area, cleared the highway for traffic, and impounded both involved vehicles for full forensic analysis."

Karnaphuli police have initiated a formal inquiry into the crash. Officers are actively searching for the lorry driver, who fled the scene shortly after the impact. Investigators are looking into driver fatigue, excessive speeding, and potential brake failures as key contributing factors behind the collision.

In response to the tragic incident, regional transport authorities announced plans to establish permanent highway checkpoints along the Chittagong-Karnaphuli corridor to enforce speed limits and conduct spot inspections on heavy commercial transport. Municipal and highway traffic boards are also initiating a comprehensive review of local transit safety, proposing mandatory installation of speed-calming barriers, improved lane segregation, and stricter licensing audits for long-haul freight operators to prevent fatal head-on crashes in high-density corridors.