Although 17 people were killed in the accident, Pavel survived, now struggling with poverty
Photo Collected
Among the 18 passengers of the microbus, Pavel Mia was the only survivor in a terrible road accident. After regaining consciousness, he came to know that his parents and all his companions had died in the accident. Even after five years, he still carries those painful memories. Currently, Pavel has to take care of the family with his old grandmother, mother-in-law and younger sister. He demanded financial compensation from the concerned persons to alleviate the poverty of the family.
Five years ago, 17 people were killed in that road accident in front of Rajshahi’s Katakhali police station. It took almost two and a half months for Pavel to hear about the accident. During this period, he was fighting death in the ICU of the hospital.
বিজ্ঞাপন
Pavel Miar (21) lives in Dwarikapara village of Raipur Union of Pirganj Upazila of Rangpur. Prothom Alo talked to him recently. He said, when he first regained consciousness after the accident, he was in the ICU of Rangpur Medical College Hospital. A doctor told him, ‘You are very sick. Parents have gone to Hajj to pray for you.
After two months, Pavel returned home with some recovery. Then he got to know from his relatives that his father Mokhleshar Rahman, mother Parveen Begum and everyone else in the microbus died in that accident. Only he is alive.
বিজ্ঞাপন
March 26, 2021 was a Friday. Pavel’s father and some of his friends left Rangpur with the family early in the morning for a trip to Natore and Rajshahi. After eating at Bogra, they visited the Rajbari of Natore and left for Rajshahi University. Around 1:15 a.m., the microbus collided head-on with a Dhaka-bound Hanif Paribahan bus in front of Katakhali police station on the Rajshahi-Natore highway.
Pavel said, “After visiting Nato’s palace, we eat and drink.” Later I was going to visit Rajshahi University. After that the accident happened.
Pavel said that he later learned from his relatives that his parents had a heart attack due to panic during the accident. In the accident, the bodies of 14 people were so charred that they could not be identified. Later, their identity was confirmed through DNA testing.
The then Deputy Inspector (SI) of Katakhali police station Noor Mohammad filed a case as a plaintiff in that incident. According to the statement of the case, the microbus lying on the side of the highway was on fire and the passengers inside were screaming.
Noor Mohammad, who is currently working at Rajshahi Metropolitan Police’s Kashiadanga police station, told Prothom Alo that the charge sheet of the case has been given. The case may be pending in court. However, he was not called from the court.
Pavel suffered serious head injuries in the accident. 12 stitches are required on the head. Two front teeth are broken. A chest bone was also broken. After nine days in ICU of Rajshahi Medical College Hospital, he was taken to Rangpur Medical College Hospital. He was under treatment there for about three months.
At the time of the accident, 16-year-old Pavel was a class 11 student of Rangpur Police Lines School and College. However, he could not appear in the HSC examination due to a broken finger on his right hand.
Pavel’s younger sister Mohna Akhtar did not go on the trip. He stayed at home because of JSC exam. “If he had gone, maybe none of our family would be alive today,” said Pavel.
Currently, Pavel’s family is running with his old grandmother, mother-in-law and younger sister. His neighbor and local UP member Khalilur Rahman said that after the accident, Pavel’s father had to sell his shop and property to meet the medical expenses. Collaboration is also done locally.
In 2023, Hanif Transport Authority contacted Pavel and offered him a job as a ticket inspector in Rangpur. In the beginning, the salary was seven thousand rupees. Currently he is being given a grant of 10,000 taka per month. However, in this sense, it has become difficult to manage the education and family expenses of myself and my sister.
Pavel could no longer study in the general category due to a long absence from school. Later he was admitted to the technical branch. This time he will participate in the HSC examination from Khalashpir BM College in Pirganj. His sister Mohna Akhtar is also giving HSC exam from Pirganj University.
Saidur Rahman Chowdhury, Chairman of Raipur Union Parishad of Pirganj said, Pavel’s financial condition is very bad. Studying, again having to depend on help-cooperation. They are having a hard time.
Pavel said that he was physically and mentally ill for a long time after the accident. Last February, he took a compensation application to the Rajshahi office of the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA). But the application was not accepted.
In this regard, BRTA’s Rajshahi Division Director (Additional Duty) Parkon Chowdhury told Prothom Alo that according to the Road Transport Act, 2018, the rules for providing financial assistance to the heirs of those killed in road accidents and injured persons came into force on 27 December 2022. Apart from this, there was a provision to apply within one month of the accident. Since the incident happened five years ago, there is no scope for compensation.
However, Secretary General of Bangladesh Passenger Welfare Association. Mozammel Haque Chowdhury said that Pavel is traveling to many places for compensation. If the government wants, it can provide him with special financial support and employment from the humanitarian point of view.
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