2,123 killed, 5,558 injured in four months

At least 2,123 people were killed and 5,558 others injured in 1,871 road accidents in the country during the last four months, a passenger platform said yesterday.

The figures are higher than that of the same period of time of last year.

Bangladesh Jatri Kalyan Samity prepared the statistics on the basis of news reports published by national and local newspapers and online news portals, says a press release.

A total of 1,979 people were killed and 4,727 others injured in 1,765 accidents in the first four months of last year, it says.

The statistics came when mismanagement in road transport sector, reckless driving and race among vehicles to pick passengers came to the fore.

The organisation said 514 people were killed in 499 accidents in January, 459 killed in February, 483 in March and 461 in April.

It added at least 7,397 people were killed and 16,193 others injured in 4,979 road accidents last year. Among the injured, 1,722 were maimed.

The organisation demanded that road accident be declared as a national problem.

It sought a stop to operation of vehicles without fitness and renting out vehicles to drivers on trip basis, keeping transport sector free from politics, proper implementation of traffic law and strengthening Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA).

Meanwhile, Ilias Kanchan, chairman of Nirapad Sarak Chai, yesterday said the roads have turned into “death trap” due to locally-made three-wheelers like Nasimon and Karimon, unfit vehicles, drug addict drivers and poor condition of roads, says a press release.

At present 34 lakh motor vehicles are registered while the number of driving licences issued by the authorities is only 23 lakh, he said. “Who are driving 11 lakh vehicles?” he raised a question. Accidents take place for these drivers, he added.

He called for more institutional initiatives to train drivers.

He was speaking at follow up mass hearing over the activities of six circles of BRTA. Anti-Corruption Commission organised the hearing at the city's Institution of Diploma Engineers, Bangladesh with ACC Commissioner Nasiruddin Ahmed in the chair.

Nasir expressed discontent as the allegations raised at the mass hearing held in May 2016 was not disposed of “due to negligence” of BRTA officials.