447 killed, 1,181 injured in road accidents last month: Jatri Kalyan Samity

The country's roads turned into a death trap during February this year. A total of 447 people were killed and 1,181 injured in 448 road accidents throughout the month.

The information was provided in a press release signed by Bangladesh Jatri Kalyan Samity General Secretary Md Mozammel Haque Chowdhury on Friday, March 6. The organisation's Accident Monitoring Cell prepared the report by monitoring national, regional and online newspapers.

The release stated that it was not just roads; railways and waterways were also hazardous. In February, 26 people were killed and 11 injured in 34 railway accidents. Four people were killed and five injured in six waterway accidents. Altogether, 477 people lost their lives and 1,197 were seriously injured or disabled in a total of 488 road, rail and waterway accidents.

Statistics show motorcycle accidents were the deadliest. In 151 motorcycle accidents, 167 people were killed, accounting for 37.36 per cent of total fatalities. Division-wise, the highest number of accidents occurred in Dhaka division, where 115 people were killed in 113 accidents. The fewest accidents occurred in Barishal division, with 19 killed and 85 injured in 22 accidents.

Among the deceased were three police personnel, three army personnel, one fire service worker, and two Ansar members. Additionally, 85 drivers, 72 pedestrians, 43 women, 41 children, and 47 students lost their lives.

Jatri Kalyan Samity reported that 41.74 per cent of accidents involved vehicles running people over, and 33.25 per cent were head-on collisions. Some 42.63 per cent of accidents occurred on national highways and 25.44 per cent on regional highways.

The report stated that vehicle defects, reckless speeding, suddenly entering main roads from feeder roads, and lack of adequate road signs were the main causes of accidents. Additionally, inexperienced road transport management, policy weaknesses, and uncontrolled movement of rickshaws, nosimon-karimon and motorcycles have complicated the situation further.

According to the organisation, shortage of skilled drivers, unfit vehicles, and non-stop driving are prolonging the death toll on roads. Immediate proper regulation and strict enforcement of laws are needed for safer roads.