One killed in Pabna as bus carrying Russians collides

A head-on collision between a bus carrying Russian nationals working at the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant project and a cargo truck left one person dead and at least 12 others injured, including eight Russian citizens, in Bangladesh.

The accident occurred around 10:00 p.m. on Tuesday (July 21) in the Talbaria area along the Bonpara–Hatikumrul Highway in Gurudaspur Upazila of Natore district.

The deceased was identified as Emon (22), the helper of the truck, and son of Jahurul Islam from Kholabaria in Natore Sadar Upazila. He died at the scene after the front of the truck was crushed in the collision.

Among the injured are eight Russian nationals, including four women. Several of the seriously injured were referred to Rajshahi Medical College Hospital for advanced treatment. The injured also include both vehicle drivers and the truck driver’s assistant.

Following the crash, heavy traffic congestion developed on both sides of the highway. After nearly two hours of rescue and recovery efforts, authorities cleared the damaged vehicles and restored traffic on one side of the road.

Gurudaspur Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Fahmida Afroz and Assistant Commissioner (Land) Asadul Islam visited Gurudaspur Upazila Health Complex to check on the injured and instructed medical staff to ensure proper treatment.

Officer-in-Charge Moniruzzaman of Bonpara Highway Police Station said that a joint rescue operation by the highway police and the Gurudaspur and Bonpara Fire Service units concluded around 11:30 p.m. He added that an investigation is underway to determine the exact cause of the accident, and legal action will be taken accordingly.

According to police, fire service personnel, and local sources, the truck carrying vegetables was traveling from Natore to Dhaka, while the bus transporting Russian nationals was traveling from Dhaka to the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant in Ishwardi when the two vehicles collided head-on near Talbaria. Rescue teams quickly reached the scene, evacuated the injured to nearby hospitals, and worked to restore traffic on the highway.