At least 263 people were killed by road crashes from 2020 to 2022 in Chattogram, according to a new road safety report released on Sunday by the Chattogram Metropolitan Police (CMP), together with the Chattogram City Corporation (CCC).
This is the first-ever road safety report based on police records in Chattogram. The launch event hosted by the CMP was attended by stakeholders from government, academe, and advocates. CMP Commissioner Krishna Pada Roy presided over the event on Sunday. He emphasized the need for data-driven measures to make the streets safe for all. He said, 'The facts and figures of this report will support us in understanding the root cause of crashes and it will also help the engineers towards an evidence-based solution.' He also said that this kind of scientific report should be published every year and coordination between CMP and CCC is important to address road safety and discipline.
The report was prepared and published with assistance from the global public health organization Vital Strategies through the Bloomberg Philanthropies Initiative for Global Road Safety (BIGRS). Chattogram is one of the 27 cities and two states participating in BIGRS. Mirick Paala, Vital Strategies’ Senior Technical Advisor, Asia Region said, “The Chattogram Road Safety Report gives decision makers key insights into who is dying on roads, and where and why crashes are happening-key information for developing interventions to save lives. With this data, leaders can shape actions that will make Chattogram’s roads safer, including establishing speed limits according to how roads are used and designing streets for all road users, not only vehicle drivers. Vital Strategies is proud to support the Chattogram Metropolitan Police and Chattogram City Corporation in their efforts to prevent the tragic loss of life on Chattogram’s roads.” He added that a formal data-sharing agreement between CMP and CCC is crucial.
Kazi Shifun Newaz, BIGRS Surveillance Coordinator, Chattogram has presented the report and further highlighted that the report serves as a significant step towards understanding and addressing the challenges in ensuring road safety within the city.
The Chattogram City Road Safety Report 2020-22 analyses data from 2020 to '22 and presents the current and historical road safety situation by showing crash patterns and trends as well as maps of high-risk locations. Government road safety stakeholders in Chattogram have produced this report as part of their commitment to developing evidence-based solutions to road safety issues.
The report shows that the death rate per 100,000 people from road crashes increased 38% in the CCC from 2.1 in 2020 to 2.9 in 2022. It claims insufficient safe walking infrastructure was causing the most deaths in the city, with 56% of road deaths being pedestrians.
Moreover, 2 & 3wheeler drivers and passengers account for 30% of the total crash deaths. Being a port city, heavy trucks ply in Chattogram frequently and these vehicles cause most of the pedestrian and motorcyclist fatalities, the report finds.
According to the report, Bayezid Bostami police station has the highest number of crash reports, followed by Bakolia. Most of the fatalities occurred during key holidays such as the most celebrated religious festival, Eid-Ul-Fitr.
Men accounted for 81% of all road crash fatalities from 2020 to 2022; women accounted for the remaining 19%. Fatalities were highest among young males between the ages of 20 and 54, the active group of people. However, motorcycle deaths were most frequent among people from 35 to 39 years old. Pedestrian deaths occurred in roughly the same numbers across age groups, with higher risk among children and older people than other road user types. The report also claims that male drivers aged between 35 to 39 were most frequently involved in fatal crashes.
The study identifies 10 high-risk locations and corridors in the city for further investigation to implement road safety measures. The most dangerous corridor in the city is AG Road starting at Bahaddarhat and ending at Shah Amanat Bridge, on which nearly five deaths per kilometre over the three years reviewed. The most dangerous location in Chattogram City was determined to be Tigerpass intersection and Khejur Tola on Outer Ring Road, where five people died within a 250-metre radius over three years.
The report suggests that lives lost on the city’s roads can be prevented with data-driven interventions that prevent reckless driving and ensure pedestrian safety such as widening footpaths, constructing raised crosswalks, ensuring continuous footpaths, implementing curb extensions, placing speed humps, and installing pedestrian islands. It also recommends prioritizing safer forms of mobility like cycling, with less prioritization of motorized vehicle travel (cars, trucks, and motorbikes). The report also emphasizes bus route rationalization in the city to improve discipline and control reckless driving.
CMP Additional Commissioner (Crime) A S M Mahatab Uddin, Additional Commissioner (Admin) M A Masud, Additional Commissioner Abdul Mannan Miah and other senior officers; CCC chief engineer Rafiqul Islam, Additional Chief Engineer Monirul Huda, Superintendent Engineer Shahin-Ul Islam, BIGRS Dhaka Coordinator Abdul Wadud, BIGRS Chattogram Initiative Coordinator Labib Tazone Utshab, Enforcement Coordinator Quazi Helal Uddin, Surveillance Coordinator Kazi Shifun Newaz, and Communication Officer Mahamudul Hasan were present at the event.
Moreover, representatives from BRTA, BRTC, RHD, Fire service, CMCH, CDA, CIPRB, BRAC, IEB and Jatri Kallyan Samity were also present among others at the programs
