323 people killed on roads in 15 days of Eid rush

Although operation of long-route buses remained suspended during this Eid rush, at least 323 people were killed in 318 road crashes in 15 days, according to a report of Bangladesh Jatri Kalyan Samity.

This is the highest number of road crashes during the Eid rush in last four years, said the organisation at a press conference at Jatiya Press Club in Dhaka yesterday.

Motorcycles are the single largest reason for the sharp rise in road accidents, as the two-wheelers caused 45.28 percent of total road crashes, the passenger welfare association said.

Lack of government's measures to prevent road accidents, and operation of huge number of small vehicles including private cars and motorcycles in absence of long-route buses are the main reasons for it, the Samity said.

Mozammel Hoque Khan, secretary general of the Samity, revealed the report. The organisation prepared it on the basis of media report.

The government suspended long-route bus service and launch and train services from April 5 to control the second wave of the pandemic.

But many left Dhaka with private and small vehicles, paying extra money, to celebrate Eid in their village home ignoring government request to celebrate Eid wherever they were.

Similarly, thousands left Dhaka ahead of the two Eids last year.

Reading out the report synopsis, Mozammel said at least 323 people were killed and 622 injured in 318 road accidents between May 7 and 21 this year.

That meant 21.2 accidents occurred every day on an average.

At least two people were killed in two rail-related accidents while six were killed and 100 injured in six waterways accidents during this time, he said.

The report said 168 people were killed in 149 road crashes (11.46 per day) in 13 days during last year while 273 people were killed in 232 accidents (17.84 per day) in 2019.

In 2018, 339 people were killed in 277 accidents (21.3 per day).

"However, considering that lower number of people left Dhaka, we think this year's road accident number is the highest since 2016 -- when we starting publishing accident reports," Mozammel told this correspondent.

He said the government has taken several steps to reduce the number of deaths from Covid but did not take any steps to prevent road crashes.

Talking about motorcycle accidents, he said 139 people (31.9 percent of total deaths) were killed in 144 bike accidents (45.28 percent of total accidents) in 15 days.

Among the victims, 151 were drivers, 80 were transport workers and 79 pedestrians.

Motorcycles were involved in 36.98 percent accidents while truck, pickup, covered-van and lorry were involved in 22.37 percent and car, microbus and jeep in 13.28 percent accidents.

Mozammel said 24.21 percent accidents occurred due to head-on collisions while 47.16 percent took place as vehicles ran over pedestrians and 17.92 percent happened after drivers lost control at the wheel.

Around 32 percent accidents occurred at national highways while 40.88 percent on regional highways and 22.32 percent on feeder roads, he said. Around 3.14 accidents happened in Dhaka city while 1.25 in Chattogram city.

The organisation also came up with eight recommendations to prevent road accidents.

Those include making separate lane for slow moving vehicles, ensuring work hours of drivers, stopping illegal toll collection on highways, and enforcing Road Transport Act and traffic rules properly.

Abdul Haque, president of the Bangladesh Reconditioned Vehicles Importers and Dealers Association, said motorcycle is main reason behind the sharp rise of accidents. But, there are no measures to provide training to bikers, he added.

Sharifuzzaman Sharif, an advisor to the association, said the government failed to take measures properly when it saw thousands of people leaving Dhaka ahead of Eid, ignoring their request.