Deadly roads during Eid travel

At least 274 people were killed and more than 1,500 injured in road accidents across Bangladesh during the 10-day Eid-ul-Fitr travel period, according to the Road Safety Foundation (RSF).

The casualties occurred in 342 road accidents between 16 and 26 March, the organisation said, noting a rise in fatalities compared with last year’s Eid-ul-Fitr period, when 249 people were killed and 553 injured in 257 accidents.

The deadliest incident took place in Daulatdia, Rajbari, where a passenger bus plunged into the Padma River while waiting to board a ferry.

At least 26 bodies were recovered, including 11 women, eight men, and seven children, with 22 bodies handed over to their families.

Another major accident occurred on 22 March in Cumilla’s Jangalia Kochua area, where a mail train struck a Mamun Paribahan bus at a level crossing, leaving at least 12 people dead and around 20 injured.

RSF Executive Director Saidur Rahman said poor management, weak monitoring, and negligence in the transport sector were largely responsible for the accidents.

He cited the Daulatdia tragedy as an example of systemic mismanagement.

“Reckless driving, unfit vehicles, poor road management, and weak law enforcement remain the main causes of road accidents in the country,” he said, adding that clear policies on drivers’ working hours, particularly for long-distance transport operators, must be introduced and strictly enforced.

The Bangladesh Passenger Welfare Association (BPWA) reported slightly different figures, saying at least 285 people were killed and 729 injured in 270 accidents between 18 and 25 March.

The organisation noted that 322 people had died in 315 accidents during the same period last year.

BPWA General Secretary Mojammel Haque said investigation reports into major accidents are rarely made public, allowing similar incidents to recur each year.

“The causes are identified, but effective measures are rarely implemented, which encourages continued negligence in the transport sector,” he said.

Meanwhile, Highway Police recorded at least 90 deaths and 128 injuries in 142 accidents during the Eid period.

Additional Inspector General of Highway Police Delwar Hossain said accidents tend to rise during Eid due to poor driving skills, weak road engineering, lack of coordination among agencies, and widespread violations of traffic rules.

He said speeding remains a major concern, with many vehicles exceeding the 80 kmph limit, while motorcycles account for nearly 40 per cent of accidents due to high speeds and unsafe driving.

Referring to the Dhaka–Chattogram highway, he noted that 642 feeder roads connect to the route, allowing CNGs and auto-rickshaws to enter the highway illegally, increasing the risk of accidents.

With only around 2,900 highway police personnel nationwide, managing the surge in traffic during Eid becomes particularly challenging.

Delwar Hossain stressed that improved coordination and planning are essential and suggested involving police in road infrastructure projects from the early stages to address operational issues.

“Police alone cannot solve the problem. Drivers, passengers, and all stakeholders must share responsibility to ensure road safety,” he added.