A total of 502 people died in road accidents nationwide in the month of September, according to data compiled by the Accident Monitoring Cell of the Bangladesh Jatri Kalyan Samity (BJKS).
Of these fatalities, 199 were motorcyclists, accounting for nearly 39.64% of the total deaths.
It analysed information from 504 reported road accidents published in various media outlets. Their report also highlights that 188 people were injured in 191 motorcycle accidents, representing 37.8% of total accidents and 19.50% of injuries.
The BJKS secretary-general, Md Mozammel Haque Chowdhury, presented these statistics in a press release on Tuesday.
In addition to road accidents, September saw 50 railway accidents resulting in 46 deaths and 3 injuries, while 13 waterway incidents caused 17 deaths, 15 injuries, and left 3 people missing. Overall, road, rail, and waterway accidents totaled 567 incidents, causing 565 deaths and 982 injuries.
Dhaka recorded the highest number of road accidents in September, with 126 incidents causing 122 deaths and 216 injuries. In contrast, Barisal division experienced the fewest accidents, with 22 incidents resulting in 27 deaths and 47 injuries.
The association raised concerns over the interim government’s plan to register battery-operated auto-rickshaws, warning that improper registration could potentially double the number of road accidents.
The victims of these accidents include nine law enforcement personnel, 133 drivers, 106 pedestrians, 26 transport workers, 65 students, 8 teachers, 88 women, 54 children, 2 freedom fighters, 1 lawyer, 1 journalist, 1 doctor, and 12 political party activists.
Data from 772 vehicles involved in these accidents reveal that 29.1% were motorcycles, 22.2% trucks, pickups, covered vans and lorries, 16.58% buses, 12.17% battery-operated rickshaws and e-rickshaws, 7.38% CNG-powered auto-rickshaws, 7.25% Nasimons, Karimon, Mahindra, tractors, and legunas, and 5.56% cars, jeeps, and microbuses.
Geographically, 45.3% of accidents occurred on national highways, and 24% on regional highways. Additionally, 3.96% of accidents took place in Dhaka metropolitan area, 0.99% in Chittagong metropolitan area, and 0.59% at railway crossings.
The report cites several contributing factors to the rising accidents, including road damage caused by monsoon rains leading to potholes, unrestricted movement of motorcycles, battery-operated rickshaws, CNG auto-rickshaws, and Nasimons on highways.
It also highlights issues such as lack of road signs and markings, absence of street lighting, sudden vehicle entry from feeder roads, missing medians or road dividers, and obstructed visibility due to roadside trees.
Other causes mentioned include construction defects, vehicle malfunctions, disregard for traffic laws, driving in the wrong lane, reckless driving, using freight vehicles for passenger transport, unskilled drivers, unfit vehicles, overcrowding.
