At least 15,712 people were killed and 14,143 injured in motorcycle accidents across the country between 2020 and July 2026, according to a new report by the Road Safety Foundation (RSF).
The report, released Saturday, said young people were the worst affected, with 58 per cent of victims aged between 13 and 35.
According to the report, 6,314 accidents, or 39.30 per cent of the total, happened when heavy vehicles hit motorcycles.
Another 5,497 accidents, or 34.21 per cent, occurred when riders lost control of their motorbikes.
A further 3,548 accidents, or 22.08 per cent, were the result of head‑on collisions. The remaining accidents, or 4.39 per cent, took place due to other causes.
In terms of responsibility, goods‑carrying vehicles such as trucks, covered vans, pickups, tractors, trolleys and lorries were linked to 6,481 crashes, making up 40.34 per cent of the total.
Motorcycle riders themselves were solely responsible for 5,831 crashes, or 36.29 per cent. Bus drivers accounted for 2,164 crashes, or 13.47 per cent.
Three‑wheelers caused 4.55 per cent of the accidents, while private cars, microbuses, ambulances and jeeps were involved in 2.72 per cent.
Bicycles and rickshaws were connected to 0.76 per cent of crashes, and pedestrians were responsible for 1.84 per cent.
Regional roads see most crashes
Regional roads accounted for the highest number of motorcycle accidents, with 6,689 incidents, or 41.63 per cent of the total.
National highways accounted for 4,773 accidents, or 29.71 percent, while 2,646 accidents, or 16.47 percent, occurred on city roads and 1,957, or 12.18 percent, on rural roads.
The report said motorcycles account for around 71 percent of all registered motor vehicles in Bangladesh, with a significant proportion being operated by teenagers and young adults.
It also identified reckless riding, violations of traffic rules, weak enforcement of traffic laws, poor road infrastructure, inadequate awareness campaigns, lack of technological monitoring, insufficient affordable public transport and severe traffic congestion as major factors behind motorcycle crashes.
The report also revealed the advertising strategies of motorcycle manufacturers and marketers sometimes encourage young people to associate high-speed riding with excitement, contributing to reckless driving.
It further said many bus and goods-laden vehicle drivers operate vehicles recklessly, increasing the risk of collisions with motorcycles.
Lack of helmets a major concern
The report identified failure to use quality helmets as one of the major reasons behind the rising number of deaths in motorcycle crashes.
It said motorcycles are around 30 times more vulnerable than four-wheeled vehicles, while the lack of convenient and affordable public transport and severe traffic congestion is encouraging more people to use motorcycles.
According to the report, wearing a quality helmet can reduce the risk of death in a crash by 48 per cent.
Accidents rise over the years
The report showed a rising trend in motorcycle crashes, with deaths increasing over the period.
Motorcycle crashes killed 1,463 people in 2020, rising to 2,214 in 2021 and 3,091 in 2022. Deaths stood at 2,487 in 2023, 2,609 in 2024 and 2,671 in 2025.
Up to July in 2026, 1,177 people had died in motorcycle crashes.
It also recommended introducing safety and monitoring technologies on motorcycles, making the use of quality helmets mandatory and ensuring strict enforcement of traffic laws.
It called for road-safety awareness campaigns in educational institutions, safety-focused campaigns on social media through the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC), and changes to the language and presentation used in motorcycle advertisements.
It also recommended developing safer road infrastructure and introducing affordable, passenger-friendly public transport to reduce dependence on motorcycles.
