At least 298 people lost their lives and more than 2,000 were injured in 373 road accidents nationwide during the Eid-ul-Fitr travel period from 14 to 28 March, according to the Road Safety Foundation.
On average, 20 lives were lost each day, underscoring the ongoing risks faced by travelers on highways, regional roads, and urban streets, the foundation said in a press statement.
Among the fatalities were 46 women and 67 children, according to data compiled from the National Orthopedic Hospital, Dhaka Medical College Hospital, and media reports.
Motorcycles were the deadliest mode of transport, claiming 116 lives, which accounts for 38.9 percent of total fatalities. Pedestrians accounted for 47 deaths, or 15.8 percent, while drivers and their assistants were responsible for 36 fatalities, representing 12.1 percent.
In addition, 11 waterway accidents killed nine people, and 29 railway incidents claimed 41 lives and left 209 injured.
The Road Safety Foundation prepared the report using information from nine national newspapers, 17 national and regional online news portals, electronic media outlets, and its own monitoring network.
Vehicle and accident statistics
An analysis of fatalities by vehicle type showed that motorcycle riders and passengers accounted for 116 deaths, representing 38.9 percent of the total. Three-wheeler passengers, including CNGs, auto-rickshaws, easybikes, and autovans, accounted for 50 deaths, or 16.8 percent. Bus passengers suffered 41 deaths, or 13.8 percent, while private car and microbus passengers accounted for 20 deaths, or 6.7 percent.
Truck and pickup occupants accounted for 13 deaths, or 4.4 percent. Locally made vehicles, including Nosimon, Bhatvoti, and Mahindra, were involved in nine deaths, or 3 percent, and bicycle riders accounted for two deaths, or 0.7 percent.
Accidents occurred most frequently on regional roads, with 161 cases representing 43.2 percent of the total, followed by 115 accidents on national highways at 30.8 percent, 48 on rural roads at 12.9 percent, 42 on urban streets at 11.3 percent, and seven incidents at other locations, including ferry ghats, accounting for 1.9 percent.
By type, head-on collisions made up 25.7 percent of incidents, loss-of-control crashes 40.8 percent, pedestrian run-overs 13.1 percent, rear-end collisions 18.2 percent, and other causes 2.1 percent.
A total of 618 vehicles were involved in the incidents, including motorcycles at 24.8 percent, three-wheelers at 22.3 percent, trucks and vans at 19.6 percent, buses at 14.7 percent, private cars and microbuses at 8.6 percent, locally made vehicles at 6.8 percent, bicycles at 0.6 percent, and unidentified vehicles at 2.6 percent.
Time and regional analysis
Accidents were most frequent in the morning at 24.4 percent and in the afternoon at 23.1 percent, with 20.4 percent occurring at night, 17.96 percent in the late afternoon, 8 percent in the evening, and 6.16 percent in the early morning.
Chattogram division recorded the highest number of accidents and fatalities with 93 incidents claiming 74 lives, while Barisal division had the fewest fatalities at 12. Within districts, Chattogram city recorded the highest toll with 32 deaths in 43 accidents.
During this year’s Eid, over one crore people traveled home from Dhaka, and nearly four crore traveled across the country. Despite comparatively moderate crowds on roads and waterways due to pre- and post-Eid holidays, mismanagement and fare overcharging caused significant hardships for travelers.
