Concrete Block Falls from Under-Construction Flyover, Injuring Auto-Rickshaw Passenger

A passenger in a battery-powered auto-rickshaw was seriously injured after a 7–8 kilogram piece of concrete fell from the under-construction Panchabati-Muktarpur Flyover in Fatullah, Narayanganj. The passenger suffered a fracture in the neck and was admitted to Dhaka Medical College Hospital.

The accident occurred around 11:30am on Saturday (November 7), beneath pillar No. 72 of the flyover in the Kashipur area of Fatullah. The injured person's identity was not immediately known.

According to local sources, the auto-rickshaw was passing beneath the flyover when a piece of concrete came loose from the joint between sections of pillar No. 72 and fell on the passenger's head, leaving him seriously injured.

Shahabuddin, a local pharmacy owner who witnessed the incident, said the injured passenger was first rescued and taken to a nearby hospital. He was later transferred to Dhaka Medical College Hospital for better treatment.

Wahiduzzaman, project director of the Panchabati-Muktarpur Bridge Project, said a block at the joint was supposed to be removed, but it had not been taken away due to the contractor's negligence. The block fell and injured the passenger, he said.

He added that immediate measures had been taken after the accident and that authorities were checking whether there were cracks in other parts of the flyover.