A total of 281 people were killed and 837 others injured in 292 road accidents across Bangladesh during the 13-day Eid-ul-Azha travel period from May 21 to June 2, according to a report by the Road Safety Foundation (RSF).
The report said 22 people died every day on average during the period. Among the deceased, 34 were women and 48 children.
It added that motorcyclists accounted for the highest share of fatalities, with 124 deaths in 141 motorcycle crashes, representing 44.12 percent of total deaths. Motorcycle accidents made up 48.28 percent of all crashes.
Pedestrians accounted for 37 deaths (13.16 percent), while drivers and their assistants made up 33 deaths (11.74 percent).
During the period, 13 accidents on waterways left eight people dead and 15 injured, while 24 sacrificial cattle reportedly died. In addition, 22 rail accidents resulted in 17 deaths and nine injuries.
Vehicle-wise fatalities
According to the report, other fatalities included 21 bus passengers (7.47 percent), 32 passengers of trucks, covered vans, pickups and tractors (11.38 percent), 11 passengers of private cars and ambulances (3.91 percent), 48 passengers of three-wheelers as auto-rickshaws and easy-bikes (17.08 percent), and eight passengers of locally made vehicles (2.84 percent).
Road types
Of the total accidents, 97 (33.21 percent) occurred on national highways, 112 (38.35 percent) on regional roads, 42 (14.38 percent) on rural roads, 37 (12.67 percent) in urban areas and 4 (1.36 percent) in other locations.
Types of accidents
The report said 127 accidents (43.49 percent) were caused by loss of control, 73 (25 percent) were head-on collisions, 42 (14.38 percent) were rear-end collisions, 38 (13 percent) involved hitting pedestrians, and 12 (4.10 percent) were due to other reasons.
Division-wise data
Dhaka division recorded the highest share with 95 accidents and 101 deaths, followed by Rajshahi (18.50 percent of deaths), Chattogram (12.09 percent), Khulna (10.32 percent), Rangpur (7.82 percent), Barishal (7.11 percent), Mymensingh (5.69 percent) and Sylhet (2.49 percent).
Sylhet saw the lowest number of accidents, with nine that resulted in seven deaths. On a district basis, Faridpur recorded the highest toll with 19 accidents killing 28 people.
Comparison with last year
The report noted that during Eid-ul-Azha last year, 312 people were killed in 12 days, averaging 26 deaths per day. This year, the daily average fell to 21.61 deaths. However, it said the reduction does not reflect a structural improvement in transport safety.
Observations
The RSF said Bangladesh lacks a safe and adequate public transport system capable of handling the massive Eid rush, forcing many travellers to use risky transport options.
It also highlighted congestion, overcharging, and irregular ticketing during the travel period. The report noted that 15 workers were killed in a truck accident in Tangail’s Kalihati during Eid travel.
The foundation further identified speeding, reckless motorcycle use among youths, poor vehicle conditions, weak traffic management, and unfit drivers as major causes of accidents.
The report recommended a long-term integrated transport plan, expansion of rail services, improved water transport, and better coordination of public transport fleets to reduce road dependency during Eid travel periods.