Driver tells of Bibhas accident

DHAKA NEWS

The speedometer of the bus was out of order that led to the accident that killed journalist Bibhas Chandra Saha, the driver said on Friday.

Describing the incident before a Dhaka court, Mofizul Islam said he saw a private car and a motorbike back to his bus through the left rear-view of the vehicle.

“Suddenly I heard a sound of smashing as soon as I turned the steering wheel into left side as per the instruction of my assistant," he said while giving a statement before Metropolitan Magistrate Shahriar Mahmud Aziz.

At one stage, the passengers of the bus and passers-by started shouting that the motorcyclist died, he said adding that he stopped the vehicle and managed to flee the scene as locals chased it, sources told our correspondent.

The magistrate recorded the statement under Section 164 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC), Masudur Rahman, additional deputy police commissioner,

Mofizul could face three-year imprisonment if found guilty, the police officer said.

According to Mafizul's statement, he has no academic knowledge and even he cannot read or write. He can only sign his name. He collected driving licence from Bangladesh Road Transport Authority in 2005. Since then, he was used to drive trucks until holding bus steering last year.

Bibhas Chandra Saha, 46, chief crime reporter of The Independent, was killed on May 11 evening when a bus of Maitri Paribahan crashed into his motorcycle in the capital's Dhanmondi area.

Acting on a tip-off, detectives captured Mofizul, from Shahrasti upazila of Chandpur on May 13.

Later, Mofizul was placed on a three-day remand for interrogation.