NN Online:
Bangladesh saw 60,980 road accidents, leading to 1,05,338 deaths and 1,49,847 injuries, between 2014 and September 2024, said the Bangladesh Jatri Kalyan Samity on Monday.
The Association came up with the shocking statistics during a discussion meeting held at the Dhaka Reporters Unity, marking the National Road Safety Day 2024, reports UNB.
Association’s Secretary-General Mozammel Haque Chowdhury, attributed the rampant road accidents and chaos in the transport sector to the mismanagement of the Ministry of Road Transport over the past 11 years.
He said the road transport sector in Bangladesh witnessed severe corruption, chaos, extortion and mismanagement during the past decade under the Awami League’s rule.
Mozammel Haque specifically pointed out that during Obaidul Quader’s tenure as the minister, lawlessness, irregularities, corruption and extortion in the transport sector increased manifold.
Even after the change of government following the student and public protests, the Ministry of Road Transport and policymakers at the BRTA have continued the fascist practices that plagued the previous regime.
During the event, he said, “No effective measures have been taken to reduce passenger fares or establish order in the roads. To resolve the crisis in the transport sector, comprehensive reforms are needed, and for this, it is essential to form a reform commission for the transport sector.”
The grim statistics were further elaborated by Mozammel Haque, who said that over the past 11 years, 88,127 vehicles were involved in road accidents, including 20,549 trucks, pickups, and lorries, 20,124 motorcycles, and 15,301 buses.
He said accidents occurred on national highways (31.76 per cent), regional highways (37.59 per cent), and feeder roads (22.54 per cent).
Haque also mentioned that the association has faced pressure from the Awami League government when publishing their road accident reports.
He alleged that they were subjected to lawsuits, attacks, and harassment for exposing the grim reality of road accidents under the current regime.