Dhaka road crashes kill 1,384 in 6 years
At least 1,384 people have been killed and 2,488 others injured in 1,849 road accidents across Dhaka between 2020 and July 2026, with pedestrians and motorcyclists bearing the brunt of the capital’s worsening road safety crisis, according to a Bangladesh Road Safety Foundation (RSF) analysis.
The report found that pedestrians and motorcycle riders together accounted for more than 80 percent of all fatalities, highlighting the growing risks faced by vulnerable road users.
The RSF analysis revealed that pedestrians were the largest group among road crash victims, with 592 deaths, accounting for 42.77 percent of the total fatalities recorded during the period. Motorcyclists were the second most affected group, with 536 deaths or 38.72 percent of the total.
The report said 256 drivers and passengers of buses, rickshaws, CNG-run auto-rickshaws and other vehicles were also killed in road accidents.
Among the deceased, 1,034 were men, representing 74.71 percent of fatalities, while 219 women and 131 children were killed, accounting for 15.82 percent and 9.46 percent respectively.
The RSF data showed that road accidents were most deadly at night, with 519 people losing their lives during that period, representing 37.5 percent of total deaths.
Morning crashes claimed 258 lives (18.64 percent), while afternoon, evening, dawn and nightfall recorded 195 (14.08 percent), 174 (12.57 percent), 142 (10.26 percent) and 96 (6.93 percent) deaths respectively. The analysis found that heavy vehicles, including trucks, covered vans, pickups, tankers and garbage trucks, were involved in 33.25 percent of accidents.
Motorcycles accounted for 26 percent of crashes, followed by buses at 21.75 percent, auto-rickshaws, CNG-run vehicles and legunas at 12.73 percent, and private cars, microbuses and jeeps at 6.25 percent.
According to the report, the absence of bypass roads forces heavy goods vehicles to enter and move through Dhaka between 10pm and dawn, often travelling at high speeds and increasing risks for pedestrians. It also identified prolonged traffic congestion as another major factor, saying long delays contribute to frustration, impatience and aggressive driving behaviour among motorists.
The RSF attributed the rising number of accidents to inadequate road capacity compared to the increasing number of vehicles, the mixing of slow- and high-speed traffic, encroachment on footpaths, poorly placed or unusable footbridges and limited awareness among road users.
The report identified Jatrabari, Demra, Mohammadpur, Kuril, Biswaroas and Airport Road as major accident-prone areas in Dhaka.
To improve road discipline, the RSF recommended introducing company-based bus services through route rationalisation.
It also called for stronger coordination among the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA), Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation (BRTC), Dhaka Transport Coordination Authority (DTCA), the two city corporations and traffic police to implement comprehensive road safety measures.
The RSF’s findings highlight continued challenges in managing road safety in Dhaka, where rapid urban growth, increasing vehicle numbers and infrastructure limitations have contributed to persistent crash risks.
