394 lives lost in 15 days of Eid travel: Jatri Kalyan Samity Report

At least 394 people were killed and 1,288 injured in 377 accidents across road, rail and waterways during this year’s Eid travel period, according to a report by the Bangladesh Jatri Kalyan Samity.

The findings were unveiled on Monday (March 30) at a press conference held at Dhaka Reporters Unity, where the organisation presented its Eid Travel Road Accident Report 2026.

The report showed that between March 14—when Eid travel began—and March 28, 351 people were killed and at least 1,046 injured in road accidents alone. Compared to last year, fatalities rose by 8.26 per cent, while the number of accidents increased by 8.95 per cent. National highways accounted for 43 per cent of all road crashes.

Among the fatalities, railway accidents claimed 35 lives and left 223 injured in 23 incidents, while eight waterway accidents resulted in eight deaths, 19 injuries and three people missing.

Motorcycles topped the list of accident-prone vehicles, with 125 crashes causing 135 deaths—accounting for 36.12 per cent of total road accidents and 38.46 per cent of fatalities.

Among vehicles involved, motorcycles made up 27.16 per cent, followed by trucks and covered vans at 17.73 per cent, and passenger buses at 16.22 per cent.

Presenting the report, Secretary General Mozammel Haque Chowdhury alleged that despite a change in government, the transport sector remains dominated by entrenched bureaucratic and owner-worker interests.

He also criticised the exclusion of passenger representatives and civil society from official Eid travel management meetings.

He attributed the rise in accidents to monopolistic practices by transport owners, fare irregularities and poor management during the peak travel period.