A Bangladeshi family is struggling to come to terms with their loss after one of their sons was killed and the other wounded in a horrific minivan crash on Dubai's Hatta to Lehbab road.
The boys were on their way to school with nine other children from their neighbourhood on Tuesday when the Toyota Previa crashed.
Dubai Police blamed speeding and negligent driving, and said the eight-seater minivan was overloaded.
Mohammed Irfan, the boy's uncle, told The National the Grade 2 pupil was the eldest of his brother's three children.
“His parents, both in their thirties, are shocked and devastated by the loss of their seven-year-old son,” he said. They will bury their oldest child in Bangladesh.
Their other son, who is six, is being treated for injuries in hospital. “His condition is not critical,” said Mr Irfan.
The family also have a two-year-old daughter.
The minivan was hired by the children's families for school pick-ups and drop-offs, Mr Irfan said.
The driver was also from the same neighbourhood. His son was injured in the crash and was kept in intensive care for treatment.
Major General Saif Muhair Al Mazrouei, acting assistant commander-in-chief for operations at Dubai Police, said the driver lost control of the vehicle, which swerved and crashed into the median on the road.
“The impact of the crash forced the minivan off the road and it flipped over, killing one child,” Maj Gen Al Mazrouei said.
Mr Irfan, who lives in Dubai, said the family will fly to Bangladesh for the funeral once authorities release the boy's body and inquiries are complete.
He urged motorists to exercise greater caution on the roads.
“It's important drivers stick to the speed limits and ensure they are well-rested before getting behind the wheel,” he said.
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The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre turbo
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
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Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
Citadel: Honey Bunny first episode
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Rating: 4/5
PREMIER LEAGUE FIXTURES
Tuesday (UAE kick-off times)
Leicester City v Brighton (9pm)
Tottenham Hotspur v West Ham United (11.15pm)
Wednesday
Manchester United v Sheffield United (9pm)
Newcastle United v Aston Villa (9pm)
Norwich City v Everton (9pm)
Wolves v Bournemouth (9pm)
Liverpool v Crystal Palace (11.15pm)
Thursday
Burnley v Watford (9pm)
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From Zero
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Family: six sons in Dubai and a daughter in Faisalabad
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Qyubic
Started: October 2023
Founder: Namrata Raina
Based: Dubai
Sector: E-commerce
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Saturday, May 16 (kick-offs UAE time)
Borussia Dortmund v Schalke (4.30pm)
RB Leipzig v Freiburg (4.30pm)
Hoffenheim v Hertha Berlin (4.30pm)
Fortuna Dusseldorf v Paderborn (4.30pm)
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Werder Bremen v Bayer Leverkusen (9.30pm)
The specs
Engine: 2.5-litre, turbocharged 5-cylinder
Transmission: seven-speed auto
Power: 400hp
Torque: 500Nm
Price: Dh300,000 (estimate)
On sale: 2022
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
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Singham Again
Director: Rohit Shetty
Stars: Ajay Devgn, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Ranveer Singh, Akshay Kumar, Tiger Shroff, Deepika Padukone
Rating: 3/5
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