At least 438 people were killed and many others injured in 442 accidents on roads, railways, and waterways across the country during the 15-day period surrounding Eid-ul-Adha. Among these, road accidents alone claimed 402 lives.
The Bangladesh Jatri Kalyan Samity has reported that the number of road accidents, fatalities, and injuries has increased compared to previous year’s Eid-ul-Adha.
The organisation’s Secretary General Md Mozammel Hoque Chowdhury presented these findings at a press conference held at Sagar-Runi Auditorium of Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU) at 11am on Sunday.
According to the report, between 21 May and 4 June, 394 road accidents resulted in 402 deaths and 1,294 injuries. During the same period, 31 railway accidents caused 23 deaths and 30 injuries, while 17 accidents on waterways left 13 dead and 16 injured.
In comparison to the previous year’s Eid-ul-Adha, which saw 379 road accidents leading to 390 deaths and 1,182 injuries, the current year experienced a 3.95 per cent rise in road accidents, a 3.7 per cent increase in fatalities, and a 9.47 per cent surge in injuries.
The report identified motorcycles as the vehicles most frequently involved in accidents, accounting for 28.9 per cent of the total.
Other involved vehicles included trucks and covered vans (21.4 per cent), buses (16.56 per cent), battery-run rickshaws (12.34 per cent), cars and microbuses (7.81 per cent), Nosimon-Korimon (6.56 per cent), and CNG-run auto-rickshaws (6.4 per cent).
Almost 46.44 per cent were head-on collisions, 29.18 per cent involved vehicles hitting or running over victims, and 17.25 per cent occurred when drivers lost control, causing vehicles to fall into ditches.
Motorcycle accidents remained at the top of the list, with 153 incidents resulting in 159 deaths and 180 injuries.
Approximately 39 per cent of road accidents involve motorcycles.
The casualties included 80 drivers, 89 transport workers, 59 pedestrians, 64 women, 45 children, and 66 students.
The identities of several professionals were also confirmed amongst the victims, including five members of law enforcement agencies, three teachers, one doctor, three journalists, one engineer, and four political activists.
The report further noted that 50.5 per cent of accidents occurred on national highways, 30.71 per cent on regional highways, and 14.46 per cent on feeder roads.
The association attributed the increase in accidents to potholes caused by rain, road defects, unskilled drivers, unfit vehicles, and a general tendency to violate traffic laws.
Due to a shortage of drivers, approximately 80 per cent of vehicles were operated continuously by a single driver.
Additionally, some transport owners deployed faulty and expired vehicles in pursuit of extra profit, further escalating the risk of accidents.
Speaking at the conference, Mozammel emphasised the need for short, medium, and long-term planning rather than just a 10-to-12-day focus during two Eid festivals.
He mentioned that radical reforms to the public transport system, the development of modern bus networks, and the implementation of technology-based road management are now essential.
Mozammel also called for ensuring training for unskilled drivers and establishing safety corridors on major highways.
Highlighting the potential of technology, he questioned why traffic police still must stand on the roads to control traffic when Artificial Intelligence (AI) and camera-based systems could monitor the entire road network.
Mozammel argued that such systems would reduce irregularities and make vehicle management more effective.
He added that, in many instances, the current role of traffic police contributes to increased congestion rather than its alleviation, making technological management a vital solution.
The press conference was also attended by former government secretary AYM Ekramul Haque, the organisation’s Joint Secretary General Arpana Roy Das, Finance Secretary Mahmudul Hasan Rasel, and Office Secretary Alamgir Kabir Bittu, among other leaders.
