Seven Bangladeshis, including children, killed in road accident in Saudi Arabia; six injured

Seven Bangladeshis, including children, have died in a road accident in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. All of the dead were permanent residents of Ukhiya and Teknaf upazilas in Cox's Bazar. Six more Bangladeshis were injured in the incident.

According to local time in Saudi Arabia, the accident happened in the Al-Himna area early on Saturday (November 7), when a truck hit from behind a bus carrying Bangladeshis returning to Jeddah from Medina.

The dead were members of three families. All of the victims are known to be associated with Al-Abir Cold Store Company, a Bangladeshi-owned company in Saudi Arabia.

Mohammad Nuruzzaman, manager (marketing) of Al-Abir, said 13 people from Al-Abir Cold Store were returning together to Jeddah after completing ziyarat in Medina. In the terrible road accident on the way, seven people lost their lives and six others are receiving treatment in hospital in serious condition.

He said that among the dead, Ziaur Rahman (45), storekeeper of Al-Abir's Jeddah branch, was from Palongkhali union in Ukhiya, Cox's Bazar. His two sons Yasir and Yayan and daughter Bushra died in the incident. Ziaur's wife Shakira and daughter Yusra are receiving treatment in hospital.

Alam Shah, a resident of East Sikderpara area of Hnila union in Teknaf who was in the same vehicle, lost his wife Sanjida and their one-month-old daughter Faria. However, Alam Shah, storekeeper of the Mecca branch, and his son Faisal are receiving treatment in hospital, Nuruzzaman said.

Afsana Bibi, wife of Ilias, a forklift driver of the company, also died. Their home is also in Hnila union. Another injured person is Gofur Alam.

Nuruzzaman added that the affected families have been living in Saudi Arabia for a long time. The burial of the dead will be completed in that country.

Shahin Sami, brother of the deceased Sanjida, said his sister Sanjida and niece died in the road accident on the Jeddah highway while travelling from Mecca to Medina. Two more members of the family are currently receiving treatment in hospital. He asked everyone to pray for them.

At the time of the accident, the vehicle's speed was reportedly about 160 kilometres per hour. The Saudi traffic department's preliminary view is that the vehicle lost control and overturned because of excessive speed.

The six injured Bangladeshis are receiving treatment in hospital. Al-Abir Cold Store authorities said the burial of the dead will take place in Saudi Arabia.