At least three people were killed and two others injured when a bamboo-laden truck hit a battery-run auto-rickshaw in Pabna Sadar upazila on Sunday morning.
The deceased were identified as Tasmia Akhter, a Class IV student of Pabna Collegiate School and College; Abu Toha, a Class V student; and Akram Hossain, the auto-rickshaw driver.
The accident occurred around 7:30am on the Dhaka–Pabna highway in the Jafrabad Bangabaria area.
Locals managed to stop the truck and hand it over to police, but the driver fled the scene immediately after the collision. Vehicular movement on the highway has remained suspended since the incident.
Madhpur Highway Police Station officer-in-charge Mustafizur Rahman said the auto-rickshaw was heading toward Pabna when the speeding truck rammed it from behind, causing the vehicle to overturn. Three people died on the spot.
On information, highway police recovered the bodies and, with the help of locals, sent the injured to Pabna General Hospital.
Police said efforts are underway to confirm the identities of the victims.
