At least seventeen people, including four women and two children, were killed and eight others were injured following a collision among three vehicles in Katakhali area in Rajshahi on Friday afternoon.

Police said that the collision took place among a Hanif Paribahan bus, a microbus and a CNG-run auto-rickshaw around 2:15pm, leaving eleven dead on the spot.

Six of the eight critically injured died after they were taken to Rajshahi Medical College Hospital while the rest two were undergoing treatment.

The deceased were identified as Salahuddin and his wife Kamrunnahar, their children Sazid and Saba, and Kamrunnahar's sister Shamsunnahr. They were from Rangpur's Razarampur village under Pirganj police station.

Besides, Boro Mazidpur village's Phul Miah also died along with his family members – his wife Nazma and their children Sumaiya, Sadia and Foysal. Another victim was identified as Mokhlesur Darika village.

Also, Tajul Islam Bhutto of Pirganj Sadar, his wife Mukta, and their child Eyamin died in the accident.

The identities of three other deceased could not be confirmed as of filing this report.

Rajshahi Metropolitan Police spokesperson Golam Ruhul Kuddus said the cylinder of the microbus exploded after being hit by the bus.

There were 18 passengers in total and of them 17 died while the driver of the Hanif Paribahan bus was on the run, he said, adding that the helper of the bus was, however, undergoing treatment.

Both postmortem examinations and DNA tests of the dead will be done, he also said.