Bangladesh road crashes kill 459 in August: report

As many as 459 lives were lost to road accidents across Bangladesh in the month of August, according to a new report.

Staff Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 16 Sept 2020, 11:45 AM
Updated : 16 Sept 2020, 11:45 AM

The findings released by the Passenger Welfare Association on Wednesday was based on reports published in different newspapers and online portals.

A total of 553 people died in accidents on the country's roads, railways and water routes last month. Train accidents caused the deaths of 14 people and injured three others, according to the report.

Meanwhile, accidents on the country's waterways killed 80 and injured 52 others while 31 were reported missing.

Among the fatalities, 198 were drivers and 125 pedestrians, including 80 women, 44 children and 38 students.

Additionally, six killed in the mishaps were identified to be police, one was an air force member, one other was a member of the CID while another an army personnel.

Motorcycle crashes made up 28.98 percent of all the accidents in August, closely followed by collisions between trucks and covered vans which accounted for 21.61 percent.

The highest number of accidents in a single day occurred on Aug 4, when 32 were killed and 46 other injured in 26 incidents.

The report found that 5.15 percent of accidents occurred in the Dhaka Metropolitan area, 2.06 percent in Chittagong Metropolitan and 0.25 percent at rail-crossings.

“The number of accidents went up as more battery-run rickshaws, easy-bikes took to the city’s main roads -- and even the national highways during the lockdown,” said the association’s Secretary-General Md Mozammel Haque Chowdhury.

“The surge in the number of motorcycles and reckless driving is also becoming a huge threat to road safety,” he added.

Mozammel emphasised the need to modernise the traffic system, implement proper licensing measures and thorough fitness checks for vehicles in order to ensure road safety.