Four people, including the bride’s brother and sister, were killed and seven others injured when a lorry hit a microbus carrying relatives returning home after a wedding programme in Karnaphuli upazila in Chattogram early today.

The accident occurred around 2:00am on the Chattogram-Cox’s Bazar highway at Patiya-Anwara crossing under Karnaphuli upazila.

The deceased were identified as Niaz Morshed, 22, his younger sister Mimtah, 17, their maternal uncle Md Ferdous Alam, 55, and the microbus driver, Md Munna. 

Tarek Mahmud, son of deceased Ferdous, told The Daily Star that the wedding ceremony of his cousin, Mimtah’s elder sister, was held at a community centre in the port city's Agrabad area last night.

After the ceremony, family members and relatives were returning home to Cox’s Bazar when the accident took place, he said.

According to Nur Ahmed, officer-in-charge of Karnaphuli Police Station, the lorry hit the microbus while making a U-turn at speed near Patiya-Anwara crossing.

Ferdous and Mimtah died on the spot, while two others were declared dead by doctors after being taken to Chattogram Medical College Hospital (CMCH), the OC said.

The seven other injured passengers were rescued and admitted to CMCH. Five of them remain in critical condition, the OC added, adding that police seized the lorry, but its driver and helper fled the scene.