Three students of Islamic University of Technology (IUT) were electrocuted and 15 others injured when a picnic bus came in contact with live electric wire at Udaykhali in Sreepur upazila of Gazipur district on Saturday.
The deceased were identified as Meer Mozammel, 23, son of Motahar Hossain, Jobair Alam Shakib, 22, son of Jahangir Alam and Mubtasin Rahman Mahin, 22, son of Imtiajur Rahman.
The victims were the students of Mechanical and Production Engineering Department at IUT.
Two of the injured identified as Kabidul Islam, 22, and Nafiz A Khan, 22, were undergoing treatment at a hospital.
The accident occurred around 8:30 am in front of Udaykhali China Project in Telihati union.
University sources said that the students of Mechanical and Production Engineering (MPE) Department and Electrical and Electronic Engineering (EEE) Department went for an annual picnic on Saturday.
Witnesses said the accident occurred as six BRTC double-decker buses, carrying around 500 students, were going to Matir Maya Eco Resort in Sreepur from the university campus in Gazipur.
Though five buses passed safely, one (Dhaka Metro Ba 15-7038) came into contact with high-voltage power line. At that time, five students who were standing near the door of the bus were electrocuted, witnesses said.
They were rescued and taken to Mymensingh Medical College Hospital where doctors declared three of them dead. The two injured are being treated at this hospital.
Mymensingh Medical College Hospital Assistant Director Mohammad Mainuddin Khan said that the two injured students were referred to Ahsania Mission Hospital around 2:30 pm. They were taken to the hospital because the university has an agreement with the hospital.
Khandaker Mahmudul Hasan, Deputy General Manager (DGM) of Mymensingh Palli Bidyut Samity, said “The line carries 11,000 volts. The accident happened when the double-decker bus tilted slightly while making way for another vehicle and touched the high-voltage line.”
Citing eyewitnesses on the bus, Md Muhtashim Mashfi, lecturer at the university’s Mechanical and Production Engineering Department, said, “We received news about the accident 30 minutes after reaching the picnic spot. We came to know from the students that the bus was tilting. At that time, the bus came into contact with an electric wire nearby.”
“Mubtasin Rahman Mahin was going to get his friend’s bag on the second floor. At that time, he was first electrocuted when he went near the gate handle. Seeing his friend struggling, Jobair Alam Shakib ran from his seat. He tried to save his friend. Jobair Alam Shakib himself was also injured. Both of them later died” he added.
Two classmates of the two deceased in front of the morgue of Mymensingh Medical College Hospital said that they were on the same bus. The accident happened in the blink of an eye. They had been hanging out with these friends until 2:00am yesterday. They were going to the picnic by dancing in the bus. But all the joy was gone in this incident. That moment is beyond description. The bodies of the three friends were burnt to ashes.
Professor Dr Mohammad Rafiqul Islam, the Vice-Chancellor of IUT, said the injured students were at the door of the electrified bus on their way to a picnic.
He said this after visiting Mymensingh Medical College Hospital on Saturday after receiving news of the casualties in the accident.
In response to the question of who is responsible for this incident, the VC said, “The incident is very tragic. If such an incident happens on the road, then you understand very well who is responsible for it. It is natural for students to go on a picnic. What should be done if a boy is not safe even standing in a bus! So that such incidents do not happen again, the road should be clear, the electrical wires should be on top, and there should be no leakage in them; the concerned persons should play their role.”
In response to the question of why the students were being taken in this bus even though the route to the picnic was not suitable for double-decker buses, the VC said, “I do not know why the concerned department rented a double-decker bus and double-deckers are not allowed on that road. BRTC, which rents buses, will know the matter very well. Whether a double-decker bus can pass on the road or not, is the responsibility of BRTC.”
University Pro-VC Rakibul Islam said, “We hold various university picnics in double-decker buses year after year. Accidents are inevitable. Unfortunately, an incident has occurred. Instead of blaming anyone, we need to ensure how to overcome this, how to get the injured treated, how to reach the students who are safe. After an investigation, we can say whether it was an accident or not.”
Two separate committees have been formed by the Gazipur District Commissioner and the university to probe the electrocution incident.
Gazipur District Commissioner (DC) Nafisa Arefin and the university’s Pro-VC Rakibul Islam confirmed the formation of the investigation committee.
The Deputy Commissioner has formed a four-member investigation committee headed by Gazipur Additional District Magistrate Salma Akhter.
The other members of the committee are Sreepur Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Sajib Ahmed, Deputy General Manager (DGM) of Mymensingh Palli Bidyut Samity Khandaker Mahmudul Hasan, and another person whose name is not known.
On the other hand, a five-member investigation committee has been formed headed by the university’s Pro-VC Rakibul Islam. The four members include the university’s dean, registrar and two others.
