463 deaths on roads in June: Bangladesh Jatri Kalyan Samity

A total of 463 people were killed and 1,323 were injured in 532 road accidents across the country in the month of June. 

At the same month, 45 people were killed and eight were injured in 53 railway accidents. Five people were killed and five were injured in five accidents on waterways. 

In total, 513 people were killed in 590 accidents on roads, railways and waterways. A total of 1,336 people were injured in these accidents. 

The Accident Monitoring Cell of the Bangladesh Bangladesh Jatri Kalyan Samity gave this information on Tuesday.

The organisation said that they prepared this report based on reports published in the country’s media. 

According to the organisation, during this period, 173 people were killed and 132 injured in 172 motorcycle accidents, which is 32.33 per cent of the total accidents, 37.36 per cent of the deaths and 9.97 per cent of the injuries. 

The highest number of road accidents occurred in Chattogram division this month. A total of 126 people were killed and 373 were injured in 128 road accidents. 

The least number of road accidents occurred in Mymensingh division whereas 26 people were killed and 35 injured in 25 road accidents.

The message signed by the organisation’s Secretary General Md. Mozammel Haque Chowdhury said that among the people injured in road accidents, 22 were members of the law enforcement agencies, 116 drivers, 82 pedestrians, 29 transport workers, 87 students, 10 teachers, 52 women, 55 children, one journalist, one engineer and 10 leaders and activists of different political parties. 

Among them, two policemen, one army member, one engineer, 111 drivers of various transport vehicles, 71 pedestrians, 45 women, 47 children, 60 students, 11 transport workers, 10 teachers, and nine leaders and activists of various political parties were killed.

During this time, a total of 795 vehicles involved in road accidents have been identified. It can be seen that 26.79 per cent were motorcycles, 25.28 per cent were trucks, pickups, covered vans and lorries, 17.35 per cent were buses, 14.96 per cent were battery-powered rickshaws and easy bikes, 5.28 per cent were CNG-powered auto-rickshaws, 4.15 per cent were Nachiman-Kariman-Mahindra tractors and Lagunas, and 6.16 per cent were cars, jeeps and microbuses.

Of the total accidents, 27.63 per cent were caused by vehicles being crushed or pushed, 43.23 per cent by head-on collisions, 20.67 per cent by losing control and falling into ditches, 7.14 per cent due to various reasons, 0.18 per cent due to wheel spin and 1.12 per cent due to train-vehicle collisions.

Analysis of the accident types shows that 44.73 per cent of the total accidents occurred this month on national highways, 28.38 per cent on regional highways, and 20.67 per cent on feeder roads. 

In addition, 4.13 per cent of the total accidents occurred in Dhaka Metropolitan City, 0.93 per cent in Chattogram Metropolitan City, and 1.12 per cent at railway crossings.

According to the observations of the Bangladesh Jatri Kalyan Samity, the significant causes of road accidents in June are the free movement of motorcycles, battery-powered rickshaws, and auto-rickshaws on national highways; vehicles suddenly coming out of feeder roads due to lack of road signs or road markings and road lights on national highways; no median or road divider on the road; highway construction defects, vehicle defects, and tendency to disobey traffic laws; vehicles on the wrong side of the road, road rage, and passenger transport in goods vehicles; incompetent drivers, unfit vehicles, and excess passenger carrying; reckless driving and driving vehicles without rest; potholes in the middle of the road in the rain and broken roads. 

Road accidents have increased due to low-income people being forced to travel on the roofs of buses and trucks and on trucks loaded with goods due to excessive fare collection.