Anwar never made it home on his first leave from a new job, as a seven-member committee probes the Natore crash that killed 14

Anwar Hossain (30) had landed a new job on a project in Barisal. He was travelling home on Puja leave. The joy of a new job ended on that journey home — he is one of the 14 people killed in the head-on collision between a bus and a truck in Baraigram, Natore, in the early hours of Tuesday (October 20). The Natore district administration has formed a seven-member investigation committee to look into the same crash.

Anwar Hossain was a resident of Chainpara village in Bagmara upazila of Rajshahi. His relatives are waiting for his body. Several family members are already in Natore to bring it back. A grave is being dug in the family graveyard beside the house for his burial, family members said.

Visiting Anwar's home, family members were found stunned with grief. They woke in the morning to the news of his death. His wife, Fatema Bibi, was at her father's home in Konopara village in the same upazila. The relatives received the news of his death from there. In the morning, Fatema reached her husband's home with their two children. She could barely speak after hearing of her husband's death.

Anwar's nephew Mizanur Rahman said Anwar used to live in Dhaka and worked at an organisation. A few days ago he got a new job on a project in Barisal. After joining, he was returning home on his first leave. He was supposed to get off the bus at Puthia on the Natore-Rajshahi highway. He had told his family by phone that he would reach home from there. But that homecoming never happened.

Mizanur Rahman said several relatives, including one of his grandfathers, have gone to Natore to bring Anwar's body. Once the body is received, his uncle will be buried in the family graveyard beside the house, and digging of the grave is already under way. Bagmara police station officer-in-charge (OC) Touhidul Islam said the family was informed after news of Anwar's death in the crash was received. The station police are in contact with Bonpara Highway Police to hand the body over to the family.

Police and fire service sources said the RP Paribahan bus travelling from Kuakata to Chapainawabganj collided head-on with a sand-laden truck coming from the opposite direction at Bonpara in Baraigram upazila in the early hours. Ten people died on the spot. Four more later died in hospital. At least 20 injured people were sent to different hospitals.

Eight of the dead have been identified. They are Samad Fakir (70) of Zajira in Shariatpur, Sohag Hossain (30), Jewel Rana (40), Shalal Molla (45), Shahin Hossain (25), bus driver Sohel Rana (40) of Godagari in Rajshahi, Anwar Haque (30) of Bagmara, and Tasfia Khatun (8) of Patuakhali. The name of eight-year-old Tasfia in the death toll deepens the tragedy of this crash.

Abdus Salam, a passenger of the crashed bus, alleged that the bus was carrying excess passengers and was being driven at high speed. He claimed the crash happened because of overloading and speeding. That allegation is now one of the key subjects of the investigation.

Meanwhile, the Natore district administration has formed a seven-member investigation committee to examine the crash. Additional Deputy Commissioner Abul Hayat has been made its convener. Natore Deputy Commissioner Mosa. Sumoni Akter confirmed the information on Tuesday.

The deputy commissioner said the seven-member committee, headed by Additional Deputy Commissioner Abul Hayat, will examine the cause of the crash and related matters. Necessary action will follow based on the investigation.

After receiving news of the crash, National Parliament Whip Advocate M Ruhul Quddus Talukdar Dulu, Natore Deputy Commissioner Mosa. Sumoni Akter and Superintendent of Police Mohammad Shariful Haque visited the scene. The investigation committee was announced after that visit by senior officials.

Behind every person killed, like Anwar, is a family and an unfinished story. A journey that began with a new job, a first leave and the joy of Puja has ended with a return as a body. For the relatives, there is now only one wait — for the body to reach home and for the final farewell.

All eyes are now on the investigation committee's report. What the committee finds about the true cause of the crash, including the allegations of overloading and speeding, and what action follows, will determine whether any real step comes to prevent a repeat of such a tragic accident.