A 34-year-old Rohingya man was killed and at least eight others were critically injured in a head-on collision between two CNG-run auto-rickshaws at a refugee camp in Ukhiya on Saturday morning.
The accident occurred around 8:30 AM at a busy intersection in Camp-18, under the jurisdiction of the 8 Armed Police Battalion (APBn). The deceased was identified as Mohammad Hashim, son of Nur Alam residing in Camp-17.
According to witnesses, the two fast-moving auto-rickshaws collided head-on inside the narrow camp streets. APBn patrol officers rescued nine injured occupants and rushed them to the nearby Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) hospital where attending doctors declared Hashim dead. The remaining eight victims remain in critical condition.
The incident has drawn strong criticism from camp residents regarding the widespread operation of unauthorized commercial auto-rickshaws, which are officially banned inside the refugee camps except for emergency services. Locals alleged that enforcement laxity and illicit payoffs to certain officials allow hundreds of illegal CNGs to operate freely also creating severe safety risks.
APBn Inspector Md. Nahid confirmed the accident and Hashim's death also stating that legal proceedings are underway. However, he dismissed allegations of administrative bribery or involvement in illegal vehicle operations as baseless.
