The Bangladesh Passengers' Welfare Association reports that 337 accidents involving 488 fatalities happened on three main routes in Bangladesh during the Eid-ul-Azha holiday.
Md Mozammel Haque Chowdhury, Secretary General of the organization disclosed these alarming figures at a press conference held at the Bangladesh Photojournalists Association auditorium in Dhaka on Wednesday.
Highlighting data from the Road Accident Monitoring-2024 during Eid journey, Chowdhury stated that nationwide, 458 people lost their lives and 1,840 were injured in road accidents alone during the Eid holidays. Additionally, 20 fatalities and 4 injuries were reported from 22 railway accidents, while 10 deaths, 6 injuries, and 6 individuals missing were recorded in 6 waterway accidents. This grim toll of 488 deaths and 1,850 injuries spans accidents on roads, railways, and waterways combined.
Chowdhury attributed factors such as increased commodity prices, exorbitant transport fares, and an influx of small vehicles like motorcycles and autorickshaws onto highways as contributors to the rise in accidents. He emphasised concerns over unfit vehicles, extortion, and cargo vehicles transporting passengers as further exacerbating road safety issues.
Comparing statistics with Eid-ul-Azha 2023, this year's accidents saw an 11.55% increase, with fatalities rising by 53.17% and injuries soaring by 238.23%. Motorcycles accounted for a significant portion of these incidents, with 132 accidents resulting in 130 deaths and 599 injuries, making up 42.71% of total accidents, 28.38% of fatalities, and 32.55% of injuries reported.
According to data from National Institute of Traumatology & Orthopaedic Rehabilitation (Pangu) Hospital, 1078 road accident patients were admitted in the 14 days before and after Eid. Out of which the number of patients admitted with broken arm or leg due to motorcycle accident is 478.
Efforts by regulatory bodies such as highway police and district police were noted, but challenges remain in managing the surge in vehicle volume and ensuring road safety protocols are followed rigorously.
