Two people, including a police officer, were killed and at least 15 others injured when three passenger buses collided with a stationary truck in Gopalganj early Saturday morning. The accident occurred around 3:30 am on the Dhaka-Khulna highway, in front of the Meri Gopinathpur police outpost under Gopalganj Sadar upazila.
The deceased have been identified as Assistant Sub-Inspector (ATSI) Rafiqul Islam of the Bhatiapara Highway Police Outpost and the helper of one of the buses. The identity of the bus helper has not yet been confirmed by police. According to Inspector Md Maksudur Rahman Morad of Bhatiapara Highway Police, the incident began when a bus of Arman Paribahan rear-ended a stationary truck near the police outpost. Immediately afterward, another passenger bus from SP Green Line crashed into the same vehicles. The helper of the Arman Paribahan bus died on the spot.
While a highway police team was conducting rescue operations at the scene, a third bus—New Baleshwar Paribahan, traveling from Chattogram to Khulna—crashed into the already-affected vehicles, resulting in a multi-vehicle pile-up. ATSI Rafiqul Islam and three other police officers sustained serious injuries during the secondary collision. Rafiqul Islam succumbed to his injuries while being transported to Dhaka.
All injured individuals, including a Navy officer, were taken to the 250-bed Gopalganj General Hospital for treatment. Vehicular movement on the busy highway remained suspended for nearly two hours, from 3:30 am to 5:30 am, due to the accident. Traffic resumed after the wrecked vehicles were removed around 5:30 am.
A team from the Gopalganj Fire Service, led by Senior Station Officer Malek Ali Sardar, assisted in the rescue and recovery efforts. Authorities are investigating the exact cause of the crashes.