Secretary, BSCIC chairman killed

Road accidents claimed half the members of this family in just four months. Siddiqur Rahman was killed yesterday while two of his daughters (black and white) on March 26 this year. Photo: Star

Two high-ranking government officials were killed in a head-on collision between a rashly-driven bus and their car early yesterday morning at Uthuli of Manikganj on Dhaka-Aricha Highway. The deceased were Secretary (in-charge) of Ministry of Women and Children Affairs Razia Begum and Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation (BSCIC) Chairman Siddiqur Rahman. They were going to Gopalganj from Dhaka to join a programme, which the prime minister was supposed to attend. The superintendent of police of Manikganj said the accident happened when a bus heading for Dhaka hit the government-owned sport-utility vehicle head on around 6:45am leaving the two and one of their bodyguards and their driver critically injured. They were rushed to Uthuli Upazila Health Complex at first and then moved to Manikganj Sadar Hospital as their condition deteriorated. Doctors declared Razia and Siddiqur dead at Manikganj Sadar Hospital. The driver of the sport-utility vehicle and the bodyguard were shifted to Dhaka for better treatment. The condition of the bodyguard was stated to be very critical. Witnesses said following the accident the bus driver and his assistant fled the scene. Sub-Inspector Ahsan Ali Khandaker of Shibaloy Police Station in Manikganj said evidence indicate that the bus was being rashly driven. Pedestrian Manik, who witnessed the accident, told The Daily Star that people inside the sport-utility vehicle were trapped and they had to forcefully open the doors to rescue them. They were bleeding profusely. They rushed them to nearby Uthuli Upazila Health Complex, reports our Manikganj correspondent. Deceased Siddiqur's two daughters Sayma Siddika Shikha, 26, a student of Jahangirnagar University, and Sadia Siddika Tuni, 9, were killed in another head-on collision between a car and a bus at Daulatpur in Comilla on Dhaka-Chittagong Highway on March 26. He left behind his wife and two other daughters. Razia Begum left behind a son, a daughter and her husband. Razia was laid to rest at the Mirpur Martyred Intellectual Graveyard after her last namaj-e-janaza at Bangladesh Secretariat following Asr prayers. Siddiqur's body was sent to his village Chandina in Comilla for burial after his namaj-e-janaza at the secretariat. Several ministers, high government officials, friends, relatives, loved ones and well-wishers attended the namaj-e-janazas. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Nobel laureate Prof Muhammad Yunus visited Razia's home and spent some time expressing their condolence to the bereaved family members. Industries Minister Dilip Barua visited Siddiqur's home and expressed his condolence. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday postponed her scheduled Gopalganj visit and National Service Programme (NSP), which the two officials were going to attend. President Zillur Rahman, Finance Minister AMA Muhith, Home Minister Sahara Khatun, Telecommunications Minister Rajiuddin Ahmed Raju, Law Minister Shafique Ahmed, Social Welfare Minister Enamul Huq Mostafa Shahid, Land Minister Rejaul Karim Hira, Bangladesh Police Service Association and different social organisations also expressed their deep shock and condolence.