Battery rickshaw registration could double road accidents, warns BJKS

Road accidents in Bangladesh could double if battery-operated rickshaws are formally registered, warned Md. Mozammel Haque Chowdhury, General Secretary of the Bangladesh Jatri Kalyan Samity (BJKS).

In a report on September’s accident statistics, the BJKS said 504 road accidents resulted in 502 deaths and 964 injuries. Rail accidents accounted for 46 deaths and 3 injuries in 50 incidents, while 13 waterway accidents caused 17 deaths, 15 injuries, and 3 people missing. In total, 567 accidents across all transport modes led to 565 deaths and 982 injuries.

Motorcycles were involved in 191 accidents, causing 199 deaths and 188 injuries, making up nearly 38% of all road accidents. Dhaka division recorded the highest number of accidents with 126 incidents, while Barishal had the lowest with 22.

Of the 772 vehicles involved in road accidents, motorcycles accounted for 29%, trucks and vans 22%, buses 17%, battery-operated rickshaws and e-bikes 12%, CNG auto-rickshaws 7%, and cars, jeeps, and microbuses 6%.

The BJKS cited potholes, poor road conditions, reckless driving, unfit vehicles, lack of road signs, and unchecked movement of certain vehicles as major causes of accidents.

The association recommended urgent road repairs, improved street lighting, stricter enforcement of traffic laws, driver training, and regulation of motorcycle and battery rickshaw imports and registrations to reduce fatalities.

“Without immediate action, the risk of fatal accidents will continue to rise,” Chowdhury said.