Syed Shemul Parvez :
The spirit of Eid was overshadowed by tragedy as over 50 lives were claimed in road accidents across the country, despite the government’s rigorous efforts to prevent such incidents.
With more than 35 road mishaps reported during the festive period, hundreds of others have been injured, many severely.
Hospitals in Dhaka have seen a rise in road accident victims during the Eid holidays, with at least 465 people admitted to various city hospitals, including major ones like National Institute of Traumatology and Orthopaedic Rehabilitation (Nitor) and Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH).
According to doctors, most of the injured victims are from motorcycle and battery-run auto-rickshaw accidents.
On Thursday, at least six people were killed, including three in Jashore and two in Sirajganj, with many others injured in separate road accidents.
In Jashore, three members of the same family were killed when a local bus hit their motorcycle in Pulerhat area. The deceased were identified as Rubel Hossain (32), and his daughters Oishi (10) and Tayeba (4).
In Sirajganj, two people were killed and four others injured in a head-on collision between a tank lorry and a CNG-powered auto-rickshaw in Ullapara.
On Wednesday, a head-on collision between a bus and two microbuses on the Chattogram-Cox’s Bazar highway at Chunty point, Lohagara upazila, resulted in the death of 10 people, including Tasnia Islam Prema (18), who lost her parents and two sisters. Prema’s younger aunt, Jesmin Rahman, has appealed for prayers for her. The Lohagara upazila has seen repeated accidents. OC Subo Ranjan Chakma attributed the accidents to a slight curve and slope, which causes vehicles to speed uncontrollably.
Kushtia, Meherpur, and Madaripur also saw multiple fatal accidents, including collisions involving motorcycles, cars, and microbuses.
Despite the government’s strict measures and efforts to control road accidents during the peak travel period, road safety remains a significant challenge. Authorities are working to improve road conditions, enforce stricter traffic laws, and raise awareness among drivers, but the continuing incidents highlight the urgent need for more effective measures to curb road accidents during festive periods like Eid.
