Natore Correspondent:

The 26-kilometre stretch of the Bonpara-Hatikumrul highway in Natore has turned into a death trap, with frequent road accidents claiming dozens of lives over the years.

On July 23, eight people, including seven from the same family, were killed in a head-on collision between a truck and a microbus in the Shreerampur area. Within a week of that incident, two more accidents occurred on the same road, leaving one dead and several injured.

In 2014, 33 people were killed in a single accident at Rijur More area, which had sparked widespread criticism over road safety. Despite the tragedy, frequent accidents continue to occur on this stretch of highway, raising concern among locals and transport workers.

According to highway police, 72 people were killed and 40 critically injured in dozens of accidents along the 26-kilometre stretch between January 1, 2021 and July 31, 2025.

Md Ismail Hossain, officer-in-charge of Bonpara Highway Police Station, said this section of the road is the most accident-prone in Natore and the northern region. “There is no three-wheeler movement here, and the highway is free for heavy vehicles. Drivers often speed and overtake recklessly on this two-lane road, which leads to accidents,” he said.

He said there are five high-risk spots on the highway — Razzaker More, Rijur More, Tormuj Pump, Armari Bridge, and the 10 No. Bridge — mostly due to sharp turns.

Drivers said the road is too narrow for safe movement.

Md Mahabub Hossain, a driver of Shishir Special Travels, said, “We try to cover time on this road because other highways are more congested, but the two lanes here are not enough for safe driving.”

Md Alhaz, a driver of Siam Paribahan, said, “There’s no divider on this road. Vehicles move fast in both directions on the narrow lanes, and that’s the main problem.”

Md Shawkat Ali Khokon, a CNG driver who uses the service lane beside the highway, said drivers frequently try to overtake on the narrow lanes, which leads to accidents.

According to police, driver negligence and disregard for traffic rules are major causes behind the frequent accidents. “We have installed many signboards showing speed limits and warning against overtaking, but drivers ignore them,” said OC Ismail.

He said traffic has increased in recent years, making the two-lane road insufficient. “Expanding the highway to four lanes with dividers is urgently needed,” he said.

Md Kamrul Hasan, executive engineer of the Natore Roads and Highways Department, said road expansion is in progress. “The government has already approved a project to widen the highway to four lanes up to Bonpara. The next phase will include the Bonpara-Hatikumrul section,” he said.

“We hope the four-lane project for Bonpara-Hatikumrul will be approved within a year. Once completed, there will be a road divider,” he added.

He also said while the current two-lane road is manageable for vehicles, drivers must follow speed limits to ensure safety.