Staff Reporter :
A total of 6,974 accidents across roads, railways, and waterways resulted in 9,237 deaths and 13,190 injuries, according to the Accident Monitoring Report by the Passenger Welfare Association.
In the past year, 8,543 people were killed and 12,608 injured in 6,359 road accidents nationwide. Meanwhile, 512 people lost their lives and 315 were injured in 497 railway accidents, while 182 fatalities and 267 injuries were recorded in 118 waterway accidents.
The Association disclosed these findings during a press conference at the Dhaka Reporters Unity in the capital.
Motorcycle accidents accounted for a significant proportion, with 2,570 fatalities and 3,151 injuries from 2,329 incidents. This represents 36.62 per cent of total accidents, 30.08 per cent of deaths, and 24.99 per cent of injuries.
Presenting the report, the Association’s Secretary General, Md Mozammel Hoque Chowdhury, stated, “Despite a change in regime, there has been
no structural reform in the transport sector. Unfit vehicles still dominate the roads, and extortion within the sector has merely shifted hands.”
He criticised the authorities, noting that while the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) focuses on revenue collection, the traffic department prioritises fines rather than enforcement. “All the factors contributing to road accidents remain present.
This crisis cannot be resolved through meetings, speeches, or newspaper statements alone,” he added.
The Association’s data revealed that, compared to 2023, road accidents increased by 1.54 per cent, fatalities rose by 7.50 per cent, and injuries surged by 17.73 per cent in 2024.
A breakdown of vehicles involved in accidents showed slight increases in incidents involving battery-powered rickshaws, motorcycles, and private cars, while accidents involving buses and trucks declined. Over the past decade, the number of motorcycles has quadrupled to six million, while an estimated six million battery-powered rickshaws have entered the roads-both identified as frequent traffic rule violators.
In 2024, among those injured in accidents were 168 law enforcement personnel, 1,952 drivers, 1,879 pedestrians, 622 transport workers, 755 students, 126 teachers, 1,206 women, 658 children, 48 journalists, 17 doctors, 16 freedom fighters, six lawyers, 12 engineers, and 215 political activists.
Among the fatalities, the report recorded 39 police officers, 21 army personnel, five Ansar members, one Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) member, one fire service officer, one air force officer, 12 freedom fighters, 21 journalists, 727 women, 536 children, 434 students, 99 teachers, 1,372 drivers, 265 transport workers, eight engineers, one lawyer, 114 political activists, 15 doctors, and 1,009 pedestrians.
A total of 9,717 vehicles were involved in accidents during this period. Of these, 13.45 per cent were buses, 23.33 per cent were trucks, pickups, covered vans, and lorries, 6.21 per cent were cars, jeeps, and microbuses, 5.57 per cent were CNG-powered autorickshaws, 27.48 per cent were motorcycles, 16.56 per cent were battery-powered rickshaws and easy bikes, and 7.37 per cent were Nasimon-Karimon, Mahindra tractors, and Lagunas.
Accident location analysis indicated that 35.67 per cent occurred on national highways, 21.66 per cent on regional highways, and 35.81 per cent on feeder roads. Additionally, 4.93 per cent of total accidents took place in Dhaka Metropolitan City, 1.20 per cent in Chittagong Metropolitan City, and 0.73 per cent at railway crossings.
Key causes of accidents identified by the Association included reckless speeding, dangerous overtaking, poor road conditions, unfit vehicles, negligence by drivers, passengers, and pedestrians, ignorance of traffic rules, mobile phone use while driving, driving under the influence of drugs, profit-driven negligence by transport owners, and inadequate road lighting.
To curb road accidents, the Association urged the government to strictly enforce road safety laws, increase budget allocations, install road signs and traffic lights, introduce proper road markings, improve driver training, and eliminate extortion in the transport sector.
The event was attended by Professor Robayet Ferdous of the Department of Mass Communication and Journalism at Dhaka University, social development activist Abdullah Al-Zahir Swapan, Passenger Welfare Association Vice-President Towhidul Haque, Joint Secretary General Monirul Haque, Publicity Secretary Mahmudul Hasan Russell, and Member & Accident Monitoring Cell Coordinator Md. Ziaul Hoque Chowdhury.
