Dhaka: Chinese construction contractor company officials have been sued for causing the deaths of five persons including two children by the negligence of safety measures and traffic management during the work on one of Dhaka's busiest highways.

After a segment of a box girder of Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project fell from a crane on a car in Dhaka's Uttara area, Chinese contractor firm officials have been sued for causing the deaths of five persons including two children of the car by negligence.

The incident took place on Monday post which the case was filed by Afran Mondal Babu, brother of two victims Fahima Begum and Jharna Begum, reported Bangladesh's local media outlet Daily Star.

Apart from the five people, two others were injured as the box girder fell on the vehicle. The whole episode transpired due to lack of safety measures and traffic management during the work on one of Dhaka's busiest highways. The weight apparently was too much for the crane.

The case was filed with Uttara West Police Station. According to Mohammad Mohsin, officer-in-charge of the police Station, the case was filed against the concerned officials of China Gezhouba Group Co Ltd, the contractor firm, and the crane driver.

While speaking to the Daily Star the officer-in-charge said, "The accused are unnamed and number was not mentioned in the case. We are identifying those who were negligent and trying to arrest them."

The incident happened at Jasimuddin Road intersection on Dhaka-Mymensingh highway around 4pm when a crane toppled while moving the precast concrete segment.

Meanwhile, despite being part of China's Belt and Road Initiative and enjoying growth in trade and investments, Bangladesh refuses to be China's lackey.

Recently, when Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi expressed his desire to visit Dhaka in the first week of August, his Bangladeshi counterpart AK Abdul Momen categorically asked him to reschedule his visit due to his scheduled official engagements in New York and Cambodia, Bangladesh Live News reported citing Daily Star.

Momen conveyed to Wang through diplomatic channels that he should arrive in Bangladesh in the second week of August.

Earlier in May 2021, the Bangladesh government gave China's envoy to Dhaka, Li Jiming a soulful lecture and asked him to maintain "decency and decorum" after he warned Dhaka from a public platform to desist from joining the Quadrilateral Group.

"Obviously it will not be a good idea for Bangladesh to participate in this small club of four because it will substantially damage our bilateral relationship," China's Ambassador to Dhaka, Li Jiming warned Bangladesh at a meeting organised by the Diplomatic Correspondents Association on May 12, 2021.

As expected, it was followed by the Bangladesh Foreign Ministry's strongly-worded statement.

"As a sovereign country, Bangladesh will determine the course of its foreign policy in the interest of its people," Momen said in a sharply worded riposte.