Over 680 lives lost in transport accidents in March: Passengers' Welfare Association

Bangladesh recorded 682 fatalities and 1,796 injuries in 670 road, rail, and waterway accidents during March, the Passengers' Welfare Association of Bangladesh (PWAB) reported on Saturday (April 4).

The data was released in a statement signed by the association’s General Secretary, Md. Mozammel Haque Chowdhury.

According to the statement, 616 road accidents killed 619 people and injured 1,548. Rail accidents accounted for 45 incidents with 54 deaths and 229 injuries, while nine waterway accidents left nine dead, 19 injured, and three missing. Roadways accounted for the majority of incidents, with motorcycles involved in 36.03 per cent of accidents, 38.61 per cent of deaths, and 12.72 per cent of injuries.

Geographically, Dhaka Division recorded the highest number of accidents—160 incidents causing 170 deaths and 320 injuries—while Barishal Division had the lowest, with 30 accidents resulting in 27 deaths and 122 injuries.

Among 975 vehicles involved, motorcycles, trucks, pickups, covered vans, buses, battery-run rickshaws, and e-bikes were most prominent.

Major causes included reckless driving, traffic law violations, unskilled drivers, unfit vehicles, road infrastructure gaps, driving in the wrong direction, and overloading.

The association called for short-, medium-, and long-term measures to ensure safe transport during the upcoming Eid travel period and urged steps to reduce population pressure on Dhaka roads.