First death on Maulana Bhashani Bridge Road

An old woman named Khadeja Begum (80) was killed after being hit by a motorcycle on the connecting road of Maulana Bhashani Bridge built over the Teesta River. The accident occurred on Friday (August 22) evening at the intersection of two police stations in Chilmari upazila of Kurigram. The deceased Khadeja Begum is a resident of that area. Locals said that many people were going to see the bridge on motorcycles at high speed in the evening. At that time, a motorcycle hit Khadeja Begum while crossing the road and she died on the spot. They alleged that this is the first accident after the bridge was opened. The accident occurred due to motorcycles being driven at a reckless speed from morning to night. Chilmari Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Ashraful Islam confirmed the accident and said that one person died in the accident. The grandson of the deceased, Md. Mostafiz Rahman, said that after receiving the news that his grandmother was killed in a motorcycle accident, the body was brought home. Later, she was buried at her home after the funeral prayer at around 10 pm. It is worth noting that the much-awaited Maulana Bhashani Bridge of the people of Gaibandha and Kurigram was inaugurated by Asif Mahmud Sajeeb Bhuiyan, Advisor to the Ministry of Local Government and Youth and Sports, on Wednesday (August 20) afternoon. But within a day of the inauguration, irregularities and setbacks began. The bridge is plunging into darkness as soon as evening falls as the electric cable of the lamppost of the bridge was stolen. The bridge did not have lights on even on the night of the inauguration. Thousands of visitors were left in extreme distress. The locals are blaming the negligence and carelessness of LGED for this incident.