Police and witnesses said that the accident occurred at around 11:00am, when a Nagarbari-bound passenger bus coming from Bogra collided head-on with a Panchagarh-bound bus while the drivers of the buses tried to overtake a rickshaw van. In the meantime, another truck hit one of the buses from behind, leaving 18 dead on the spot and 53 injured.

Three of the injured later died on their way to hospitals.

Of the dead, 12 had been identified. They are Liton, 22, son of Digen Das of Uddurbaria village in Dhunot upazila of Bogra, Tukku Khan, 28, son of Shukur Ali of Belgari Colony in Sherpur upazila of Bogra, Abu Taleb, 42, of Shibpur upazila in Bogra, Lokman Hossain, 36, Ashraf Ali, 23, of Rail Colony in Bogra, Nabakumar, 41, of Vanudanga in Kazipur upazila in Sirajganj, Abhiram Shaha, 28, of Dhunot upazila in Bogra, Shatka Mian, 25, of Sherpur upazila in Bogra, Prof Fazlar Rahman, 35, Saheb Ali, 35 and Shimu, 8, from Singra in Natore and Nazrul Islam, 25 of Sherpur upazila in Bogra.

The injured had been admitted to Sirajganj Sadar Hospital, Rayganj Upazila health complex, Bogra Mohammad Ali Hospital and different local clinics in Sirajganj and Bogra towns.

The critically injured eight are identified as Shabur, 35, of Bera in Pabna, Dolon, 21, of Dhunot in Bogra, Shimla, 25, and Shahadat, 28, of Sherpur upazila in Bogra, Chan, 23, of Kazipur in Sirajganj, Selim, 25, of Moulovibazar, Biplob, 26, of Dhunot in Bogra and Nurul, 23, of Ullapara in Sirajganj.

Following the accident, vehicular movement on the road was disrupted for three hours. Besides, hundreds of vehicles got stuck on both side of the road creating a long traffic-jam.

Informed, police rushed to the spot and brought the situation under control. They also sent the bodies to Sirajganj General Hospital Morgue for autopsy.

Higher officials of district administration, including deputy director Aminul Chowdhury visited the spot.