Bangladesh Jatri Kalyan Samity has identified 16 reasons, including reckless speeding and dangerous overtaking, responsible for the increasing number of road accidents in the country.
The organization also said that according to their annual road accident monitoring report, at least 7,809 people were killed and 9,039 were injured in 5,629 road accidents in 2021.
Md Mozammel Haque Chowdhury, secretary-general of the organization presented the findings of the report at a press conference at the Sagar-Runi auditorium of the Dhaka Reporters' Unity in the capital's Segunbagicha on Sunday morning.
According to their findings, the other reasons responsible for road accidents include faulty roads, vehicles without fitness, carelessness of passengers and pedestrians, incompetence of drivers, use of mobile or headphones while driving, driving under the influence of drugs, sudden movement of vehicles from feeder roads at rail crossings and highways.
The findings also observed that there are no sidewalks or illegally occupied sidewalks, poor enforcement of traffic laws, increasing number of small vehicles, extortion on the road, make-shift markets on the side of roads, faulty vehicles and reliance over easy bikes, battery-powered rickshaws, motorcycles and CNG-powered autorickshaws instead of safe and modern public transport systems across the country.
They have made some recommendations to prevent road accidents. Their recommendations include implementation of the election manifesto of the present government on road safety, strict implementation of Road Transport Act 2018 by identifying the flaws of the law and installing CCTV cameras in digital system, increasing the budget allocation for road safety, formation of a separate road safety unit in the Ministry, establishment of proper road signs on the roads and highways of the country, provision of professional training and moral education to the public transport drivers, ending irregularities, corruption and extortion in the road transport sector, and modernization of vehicle fitness and driver licensing procedures in line with the developed world.
A total of 7809 people were killed and 9039 injured in 5629 road accidents in 2021, despite the closure of public transport for 85 days due to coronavirus transmission. At the same time, 396 people were killed and 134 injured in 402 accidents on the railways. A total of 311 people were killed, 578 injured and 544 went missing in 182 accidents on the waterway. A total of 8516 people were killed and 9751 injured in 6213 accidents on roads, railways and waterways.
BUET Accident Research Institute Director Dr Hadiuzzaman, prominent human rights activist Nur Khan Liton, general secretary of Nagorik Sanghati Sharifuzzaman Sharif and prominent journalist Manjurul Alam Panna were present during this time, among others.
