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A covered van carrying 15 tonnes of sugar worth around Tk 1.6 million was allegedly stolen after its driver was found unconscious beside a road in Patiya upazila early Wednesday.
The incident occurred in the Monsa Badamtal area, leaving the driver, Md Alomgir Alam, 45, hospitalised.
Abul Kalam, another covered van driver, said he found Alam lying unconscious beside the road and took him to hospital. Foam was coming from Alam’s mouth at the time, he added.
Dr Shama, an emergency physician at Patiya Upazila Health Complex, said the driver was brought in unconscious and appeared to have been exposed to a sedative substance. He was receiving treatment, and it could take time for him to regain consciousness, she said.
Jakir Hossain, owner of Jahid Trade and Transport, said the vehicle had been near Moijjartek around 11pm on Tuesday, when the driver informed him of some mechanical problems. Hossain said he learned around 9am on Wednesday that the driver had been found unconscious.
According to Hossain, the vehicle was transporting sugar to Chattogram. After delivering 13 tonnes to a business in the Nasirabad area of the city, it was carrying another 15 tonnes towards Patiya when it was allegedly stolen.
Sugar supplier Sirajul Islam expressed suspicion about the driver and said questioning him could help clarify what happened. However, no evidence establishing the driver’s involvement was reported.
Patiya Police Station Officer-in-Charge Ziaul Haque Zia said police had visited the scene after learning about the incident but had not received a formal written complaint.
Further details would emerge after the investigation, he added.
