A total of 423 people were killed and 674 injured in 442 road crashes across Bangladesh in September, according to a monthly report by the Road Safety Foundation (RSF).
The report, released on Sunday (4 October), found that women accounted for 73 of the fatalities, while 61 children were among those killed. Motorcycle crashes remained a major concern, with 139 people losing their lives in 154 such incidents during the month.
The report, based on information published in the media, also examined the circumstances and road-user categories involved in the fatalities. It found that 106 people were killed while walking or travelling as pedestrians, while 53 drivers and assistants lost their lives.
Among passengers, 26 bus passengers were killed, along with 19 occupants of trucks, covered vans and trolleys. A further 21 people travelling in microbuses, private cars, ambulances and jeeps died in crashes.
Three-wheelers also accounted for a significant share of fatalities. As many as 88 passengers travelling in auto-rickshaws, autovans, easy-bikes, CNG-run vehicles and legunas were killed. Another 18 people travelling in locally manufactured vehicles such as nosimons, bhotbhotis, Mahindras and tomtoms died, while six pedal-cycle riders were also killed.
Regional roads recorded the highest number of crashes
RSF’s analysis showed that regional roads accounted for the largest proportion of crashes in September. A total of 178 incidents, or 40.27 per cent of all reported crashes, occurred on regional roads.
National highways recorded 145 crashes, representing 32.80 per cent of the total. Rural roads accounted for 56 incidents, while 63 crashes took place on roads in urban areas.
Loss of vehicle control was identified as the most common type of crash, accounting for 168 incidents, or 38 per cent of the total. Pedestrians being struck or run over were involved in 109 crashes, equivalent to 24.66 per cent. Head-on collisions accounted for 98 incidents, or 22.17 per cent. There were also 61 cases of vehicles being hit from behind, while six crashes were attributed to other causes.
Morning crashes were most frequent
The time-based analysis showed that mornings recorded the highest share of road crashes in September. Some 24.43 per cent of incidents occurred during the morning.
Afternoon crashes accounted for 21.26 per cent, followed by 17.42 per cent in the late afternoon, 16.96 per cent at night, 11.76 per cent in the evening and 8.14 per cent in the early morning.
Dhaka division recorded the highest casualties
Dhaka division registered the highest number of crashes among the country’s divisions, with 132 incidents resulting in 134 deaths. Sylhet recorded the lowest number, with 20 crashes and 21 deaths.
Gazipur recorded the highest number of fatalities among individual districts, with 38 people killed.
In the capital, 52 road crashes were reported during September, leaving 21 people dead and 47 injured.
Dhaka division accounted for 29.86 per cent of all reported crashes and 31.67 per cent of the total deaths. Rajshahi accounted for 12.21 per cent of crashes and 10.87 per cent of fatalities, while Chattogram recorded 17.87 per cent of crashes and 17.73 per cent of deaths.
Khulna accounted for 17.42 per cent of crashes and 14.42 per cent of fatalities. Barishal recorded 5.20 per cent of crashes and 6.61 per cent of deaths, while Sylhet accounted for 4.52 per cent and 4.96 per cent respectively.
Rangpur recorded 5.65 per cent of crashes and 5.91 per cent of fatalities, while Mymensingh accounted for 7.23 per cent of crashes and 7.80 per cent of deaths.
Students among the victims
The RSF also analysed the occupations of those killed, using information published by the media. The figures show that 58 students died in road crashes during the month.
The fatalities also included 24 political activists, 25 local-level businesspeople, 18 NGO workers, 14 day labourers and 13 teachers.
Twenty-one sales representatives working with medicines and other consumer goods were killed. Eleven employees and officials of banks and insurance companies also died.
The other victims included six garment workers, four engineers, four motor mechanics, three journalists, three mosque imams or caretakers, two police officers and two doctors. One member of the armed forces, one customs official, one cleaner and one foreign national were also among those killed.
Waterway and rail incidents also claimed lives
Roads were not the only transport sector affected by fatal accidents during September. Eleven waterway accidents resulted in 16 deaths, seven injuries and four people reported missing.
During the same period, 23 incidents involving railway tracks left 19 people dead and six injured.
Speed identified as a major factor
The RSF’s assessment identified excessive speed as one of the major factors behind road crashes. The organisation said many incidents occur when vehicles travelling at high speed lose control.
On average, around 14 people were killed in road crashes every day during September. The RSF has called for technology-based monitoring to control vehicle speeds, alongside motivational and skills-based training for drivers.
The organisation also linked the rising number of pedestrian deaths to reckless driving and a lack of awareness among pedestrians. It has recommended large-scale public awareness campaigns through television, other media and social media, with a focus on practical road-safety behaviour.
According to the RSF, other contributing factors include defective vehicles and roads, reckless driving attitudes, inadequate driving skills, physical and mental illness among drivers, a lack of fixed wages and regulated working hours, the operation of slow-moving vehicles on highways, reckless motorcycle riding among young people, limited knowledge of and compliance with traffic laws, weak traffic management, capacity limitations within the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA), and extortion in the public transport sector.
RSF calls for structural reforms
The organisation has proposed a series of measures aimed at reducing road deaths. These include restructuring the National Road Safety Council and reforming the management and organisational structures of the BRTA, Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation (BRTC) and Dhaka Transport Coordination Authority (DTCA).
It has also called for modern safety technology to be made mandatory in motor vehicles and for unfit and expired vehicles to be removed from the roads. For Dhaka, the organisation has recommended route rationalisation and the introduction of modern, company-based bus services.
Other recommendations include expanding institutional training to produce skilled drivers, ensuring appropriate wages, regulated working hours and healthcare for drivers, and constructing service roads for slow-moving vehicles alongside highways.
The RSF has also recommended appointing gatekeepers at all railway crossings, allocating funds in the national budget for road-user awareness programmes, and creating a unified ministry to coordinate road, rail and water transport.
In a statement signed by RSF Executive Director Saidur Rahman, the organisation said safer roads could be achieved through timely policies, technological development, improved infrastructure and sustained education and awareness among road users. It stressed that political commitment from the government would be essential to turn these measures into effective road-safety reforms.
