Police said a speeding truck ploughed through a rickshaw garage and two timber shops at Halishahar in the city at about 11:30am, killing two people on the spot and injuring three others.

Of the injured, two died on way to Chittagong Medical College and Hospital and the other was admitted to the hospital.

Witnesses said the driver of the truck lost control over the steering while he was crossing a speed-breaker on the link road to the port near Asfia Community Centre.

The dead are rickshawpullers Akmal, 32, of Banshgram in Narail and Afzal, 40, of Khulna, rickshaw mechanic Noor Alam, 35, of Laxmipur and a covered van helper Mostafizur Rahman, 25, of Patgram in Rangpur.

The condition of the injured, Ainul Haq, 25, was stated to be critical.

Two timber shops and some rickshaws were smashed in the accident. Locals held the truck helper Aslam and handed him over to the police while the driver managed to flee. Police seized the truck and brought it to Halishar Police Station.

The other accident took place at Dohazari BOC crossing under Chandnaish upazila in the district early yesterday.

At about 2:30am a Cox's Bazar bound covered van collided with a Chittagong city bound truck, leaving three people dead and injuring seven others.

The dead are Monir Alam, 30, Amzad Hossain, 35, and Md Hossain, 24. The injured, identified as Rabiul Hossain, 20, Azizur Rahman, 42, Jane Alam, 40, Nurul Alam, 40, Foyez Ahmed, 32, Fazar Ali, 50, and Giasuddin, 32, are undergoing treatment at Chittagong Medical College and Hospital and Dohazari Hospital.

Most of the victims were on board the truck carrying betel leaf from Moheshkhali -- an off-shore island.

Police seized both the covered van and the truck.