A total of 423 people were killed and another 674 injured in 442 road crashes across Bangladesh in September, according to a monthly report by the Road Safety Foundation (RSF).
The organisation released its September road crash report on Sunday (4 October), highlighting the continuing toll on pedestrians, passengers, drivers and other road users. Of those killed during the month, 73 were women and 61 were children. Motorcycle crashes were also a significant contributor, with 139 people killed in 154 separate motorcycle-related incidents.
According to the report, 106 people were killed while walking on roads or otherwise travelling as pedestrians. Another 53 fatalities involved vehicle drivers and assistants.
Among passengers, 26 bus passengers were killed, while 19 people travelling in trucks, covered vans and trolleys died. A further 21 occupants of microbuses, private cars, ambulances and jeeps were killed.
Three-wheelers and similar locally used modes of transport accounted for a substantial number of deaths. The report recorded 88 fatalities among passengers of auto-rickshaws, autovans, easy-bikes, CNG-run vehicles and legunas. Another 18 people travelling in locally manufactured vehicles such as nosimons, bhotbhotis, Mahindras and tomtoms were killed. Six pedal-cycle riders also lost their lives.
Regional roads saw the most crashes
An analysis by the RSF found that regional roads recorded the highest number of crashes in September. A total of 178 incidents, representing 40.27 per cent of all reported crashes, occurred on regional roads.
National highways accounted for another 145 crashes, or 32.80 per cent of the total. Rural roads recorded 56 incidents, while 63 crashes occurred on urban roads.
Losing control of vehicles was the most frequently recorded 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.
The report also recorded 61 crashes in which vehicles were hit from behind, while six incidents were attributed to other causes.
Morning recorded the highest share
The time-based analysis showed that the largest proportion of crashes occurred in the morning. Some 24.43 per cent of September’s incidents took place during the morning.
Afternoon crashes accounted for 21.26 per cent, while 17.42 per cent occurred in the late afternoon. Night-time incidents represented 16.96 per cent, followed by evening crashes at 11.76 per cent and early-morning incidents at 8.14 per cent.
Dhaka division had the highest number of crashes
Dhaka division recorded the highest number of road crashes among the country’s divisions, with 132 incidents that left 134 people dead. Sylhet recorded the lowest number, with 20 crashes resulting in 21 deaths.
At district level, Gazipur recorded the highest number of fatalities, 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 crashes and 31.67 per cent of total fatalities. Rajshahi accounted for 12.21 per cent of crashes and 10.87 per cent of deaths, while Chattogram recorded 17.87 per cent of crashes and 17.73 per cent of fatalities.
Khulna accounted for 17.42 per cent of crashes and 14.42 per cent of deaths. Barishal recorded 5.20 per cent of crashes and 6.61 per cent of fatalities, 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 deaths. In Mymensingh, the corresponding figures were 7.23 per cent and 7.80 per cent.
Students among the victims
The RSF also examined the occupational backgrounds of those killed, using information published in the media. The figures show that 58 students from different educational institutions were among the fatalities.
The victims also included 24 political activists, 25 local businesspeople, 18 NGO workers, 14 day labourers and 13 teachers.
Twenty-one sales representatives working with medicines and other products were killed, while 11 officials and employees of banks and insurance companies also died in road crashes.
The other fatalities 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 railway incidents added to the toll
The transport-related deaths were not confined to roads. During September, 11 waterway accidents left 16 people dead, seven injured and four missing.
At the same time, 23 incidents involving railway tracks resulted in 19 deaths and six injuries.
Excessive speed identified as a major factor
The RSF’s assessment identified excessive speed as one of the major factors behind road crashes. According to the organisation, many incidents occur when vehicles travelling at high speed lose control.
An average of 14 people were killed in road crashes every day during September. The RSF has called for greater use of technology to monitor and control vehicle speeds, alongside motivational training for drivers.
The organisation also attributed 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 the media and social media, focusing on practical measures that can help people use roads more safely.
The RSF identified a range of other factors associated with road crashes, including defective vehicles and roads, reckless driving, inadequate driving skills, drivers’ physical and mental health problems, a lack of fixed wages and regulated working hours, the presence of slow-moving vehicles on highways and reckless motorcycle riding among young people.
It also cited inadequate knowledge of and compliance with traffic laws, weak traffic management, limited capacity within the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) and extortion in the public transport sector.
RSF calls for wide-ranging reforms
The organisation has recommended 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 vehicle safety technology to be made mandatory and for expired and unfit vehicles to be withdrawn from service. In Dhaka, the RSF has proposed route rationalisation and the introduction of modern, company-based bus services.
Other recommendations include expanding institutional programmes for training skilled drivers and ensuring proper wages, working hours and healthcare for those behind the wheel. The organisation has also called for service roads for slow-moving vehicles on highways and the appointment of gatekeepers at all railway crossings.
To improve public awareness, it has recommended allocating funds in the national budget for road-safety education and awareness initiatives. It has also proposed integrating road, rail and water transport under a unified ministry responsible for communications.
In a statement signed by RSF Executive Director Saidur Rahman, the organisation said safer roads could be achieved through timely policies, technological improvements, better infrastructure and sustained education and awareness among road users. It stressed, however, that political commitment from the government would be essential to make such measures effective.
