Cumilla, Bangladesh | April 14, 2026 — At least seven people were killed and six others injured early Tuesday when a cargo truck carrying migrant laborers overturned and fell into a roadside ditch in southeastern Bangladesh, police and witnesses said.
The accident occurred in the Daudkandi area of Cumilla district along the busy Dhaka–Chattogram highway. The truck, reportedly transporting day laborers from northern Bangladesh to southern regions in search of work, lost control and overturned near the Hasanpur section of the highway.
According to survivors and highway police, the vehicle was heavily overloaded, with several passengers seated on top of rice sacks. Witnesses said the original driver allegedly handed over control of the truck to his assistant at a toll plaza shortly before the crash.
“All of us were sitting on the truck’s cargo. We didn’t realize what happened until everything went wrong,” said injured passenger Jahangir, who is being treated at a local hospital with a broken arm.
Authorities confirmed that seven people died at the scene, while six others sustained injuries and were admitted to nearby medical facilities, including the Gouripur Upazila Health Complex.
The bodies of the deceased have been kept at the Daudkandi Highway Police Station for identification and legal procedures.
Police have launched an investigation into the incident. The crash once again raises serious concerns about road safety violations in Bangladesh, including overloading of vehicles and unauthorized driving by unlicensed or assistant drivers.
