They toiled day and night just for a living. The bus fare to their home district Nilphamari from Dhaka -- a few hundred Taka -- was beyond their means.

Opting for a cheaper alternative, they got on the top an iron-rod-laden truck in the capital.

The trucker lost control over the vehicle and it fell into a ditch and the heaps of rods fell on them.

The accident claimed at least seven lives and left 13 others, including pedestrians, injured in Gaibandha's Palashbari around noon yesterday, said Mahmudul Haque, officer-in-charge of Palashbari Police Station.

Within a kilometre of the spot, a bus rammed a power tiller pulling a trailer, inset, and three labourers on the trailer were killed. Photo: Collected

Within a kilometre of the spot, three more day labourers were killed after a bus rammed a power tiller pulling a trailer on Rangpur-Bogra highway around 9:30am.

The OC said the Nilphamari-bound truck was being driven recklessly. The driver fled immediately after the accident.

On information, police and fire fighters with the help of locals rescued the injured and took them to Palashbari Health Complex.

Dr Wazed at the hospital said seven of the injured were in critical conditions and they were referred to Rangpur Medical College Hospital.

Police could confirm the identities of five of the deceased. They are Motahar Hossain, 44, Rezia Begum, 70, and Marufa Begum, 35, of Nilphamari Sadar, Fahad Hossain, 22, of Kishoreganj upazila, and Mofizul Islam, 55, of Domar in the district.

Atower Rahman, one of the injured, said everything happened in the blink of an eye. “It was a nightmare. I don't know how I survived.”

With his fractured leg, Shafiq Mia, another labourer, said he was worried because he would not be able to work until he recovered.

The OC said they often try to stop people from travelling on trucks but many chose the risky journey as it was cheaper.

Meanwhile, Gautam Chandra Pal, deputy commissioner in the district, visited the spot and announced compensation of Tk 20,000 for each of the deceased.

In the other incident, the Bogra-bound bus hit the power tiller, leaving the three labourers dead on the spot. 

OC Mahmudul said the driver lost control over the bus after one of its rear tyres burst.

The dead -- all construction workers from Gobindaganj upazila -- were identified as Jakir Hossain, 25, Khasru Mia, 23, and Raju Mia, 26.

Meanwhile, five more people were killed in road accidents in Benapole, Natore and Comilla yesterday.