Road accidents take 565 lives in March

A recent report compiled by the Bangladesh Passenger Welfare Association shed light on the alarming rate of road accidents in the country, revealing that 565 individuals lost their lives in March alone, with an additional 1,228 people sustaining injuries in 552 road mishaps.

Among these accidents, motorcycle-related incidents accounted for a significant portion, with 203 fatalities and 166 injuries reported from 181 motorcycle accidents. This represents 32.78 percent of the total accidents, 35.92 percent of the fatalities, and 13.51 percent of the injuries.

The report also highlighted railway and waterway accidents, with 31 fatalities and 86 injuries recorded from 38 railway incidents, and 16 deaths and 17 injuries reported from seven waterway accidents.

According to Md. Mozammel Haque Chowdhury, Secretary General of the Bangladesh Passenger Welfare Association, the data was compiled based on news coverage of road, rail, and sea accidents published in national, regional, and online newspapers.

Dhaka Division recorded the highest number of road accidents, resulting in 165 fatalities and 306 injuries, while Barisal Division reported the lowest number of road mishaps, claiming 32 lives and causing 92 injuries.

However, Chowdhury emphasized that the reported figures may not reflect the true extent of organized road accidents in the country, as a significant percentage of incidents go unreported by the media. He cited hospital admissions as a primary source of data, revealing that Dhaka National Orthopedic Hospital and Rehabilitation Center admitted 1,369 severely injured patients in March alone.

The report identified various factors contributing to road accidents, including misapplication of traffic laws, weak enforcement, corruption by regulatory agencies, proliferation of motorcycles and battery-operated rickshaws, lack of road signage and lighting, and unskilled drivers.

To address these issues, the report proposed several recommendations, including the establishment of a comprehensive road accident database, development of a smart public transport system, regulation of small vehicle imports, driver training initiatives, implementation of digital vehicle fitness checks, and improved road infrastructure and safety measures.

The report underscored the urgent need for institutional reforms and proactive measures to prevent thousands of road fatalities in Bangladesh.