At least four bidi workers were killed and another injured in a road accident at Bottoil Dokkhinpara area under Sadar upazila in Kushtia on Monday morning.
The deceased are Muktar Hossain, 50, son of Hozel Hossain, Jesmin Akter, 30, wife of Azizul Hoque, Rojina Khatun, 27, wife of Bhadu Mollah and Swapna Rani, 45, wife of Monoronjon Roy.
All the victims were residents of different villages in the district.
Kushtia highway police station officer-in-charge Idris Ali told New Age that the accident took place on Kushtia-Jhenaidah Highway at about 5:00am as a Jhenaidah-bound speedy truck hit a van carrying bidi workers from the opposite direction, leaving four passengers of the van dead and Tahmina Khatun injured on the spot.
Local people rescued injured Tahmina and took her to Kushtia General Hospital for treatment.
On information, a team of police recovered the bodies and sent them to Kushtia Sadar Hospital morgue for post-mortem examinations, the police official said.
Local people seized the truck but its driver and his associate managed to flee.
In another road accident, at least two people were killed at Taraguniya village under Daulatpur upazila in the district on Sunday night.
The deceased are Bidyut Ali, 30, son of Hazrat Ali and Rajon Mlitha, 35, son of Kher Malitha, residents of Mothurapur in the upazila.
Daulatpur police station officer-in-charge SA Zabid Hasan said that the accident occurred in the area at about 10:00pm as a Bheramara bound speedy truck hit the duo coming from the opposite direction on way to Daulatpur by a motorcycle, leaving them dead on the spot.
On information, a team of police recovered the bodies and sent them to Kushtia Sadar Hospital morgue for autopsy.
Police detained the truck but its driver and helper managed to flee the scene, the OC said.
