Staff Reporter:
Seven Bangladeshi nationals were killed and six others injured in a road accident in Saudi Arabia early Saturday.
The accident took place around 2am on Saturday at a place called Al-Himnah while they were travelling from Madina to Jeddah, a senior official told .
Of the seven deceased, four belonged to the family of Ziaur Rahman, two to the family of Alam Shah and one to the family of Elias.
Ziaur Rahman, his daughter Bushra and two sons, Yasir and Yazan, were killed in the accident. His wife Shakira was injured and is receiving treatment at Khulais General Hospital located northwest of Makkah Al-Mukarramah, while another daughter, Yusra, is undergoing treatment at King Abdulaziz Hospital in Jeddah.
The bodies of Ziaur Rahman and his three children have been kept at Al-Himnah General Hospital.
In Alam Shah’s family, his wife Sanjida and daughter Fariar were killed. Their bodies have been kept at Al-Himnah General Hospital and Khulais General Hospital respectively.
Alam Shah was injured but left the hospital after receiving treatment. His son Faisal is undergoing treatment at East Jeddah Hospital.
In Elias’s family, his wife Afsana Bibi was killed, while he was injured. Elias left Al-Himnah Hospital after receiving treatment while his wife’s body was kept at Khulais General Hospital.
Another injured passenger, Gafur Alam, is receiving treatment at Khulais General Hospital.
Afsana Bibi had arrived in Saudi Arabia a few days ago to perform Umrah.
According to a preliminary report from the Bangladesh Consulate in Jeddah, 13 victims were members of three Bangladeshi families from Cox’s Bazar district. Four of the victims were employees of Al-Abir Company, while the others were their family members, the report said.
The consulate took immediate steps after learning about the accident. Its Labour Counsellor, accompanied by a legal assistant, visited the Khulais Traffic Office and spoke with officials concerned to gather details.
According to the preliminary findings of the traffic authorities, the car was being driven by a Pakistani national at an estimated speed of 160 kilometers per hour. The vehicle reportedly lost control and overturned due to excessive speed.
However, the driver claimed the accident occurred after a tyre burst, the report said.
The actual cause of the accident will be known after the authorities complete their investigation and issue a final report.
