Three people were killed in a road accident on Satkhira-Khulna highway in Satkhira Sadar upazila early Thursday, said police. The deceased are Arizul Gazi, 28, son of Akbar Ali Gazi, of Jashore’s Jhikargacha upazila, Asadul Islam Fakir, 55, son of Shamsur Kabir of Satkhira’s Tala upazila, and Abdus Selim, 35, son of Abdul Aziz of the same (Tala) upazila. Confirming the matter, Sadar police station’s Sub-Inspector Biswajit Sarkar said a speeding truck ran over a motorbike leaving a biker and two pillion passengers killed on the spot in Binerpota BSCIC area on the highway in the early morning. Read: Two college students die in Moulvibazar road accident After recovery, the bodies were sent to Satkhira Sadar Hospital morgue for autopsy, he said. The bodies will be handed over to the families upon autopsy, he said, adding that no one so far has been detained in this connection.

In the last five and a half years, road, railway, and waterway accidents in Bangladesh have caused human resource losses worth Tk 87,884.12 crore, according to a report by the Road Safety Foundation (RSF). From 2019 to June 2024, a total of 32,733 accidents were reported across the country, resulting in 35,384 deaths and 53,196 injuries. Among the fatalities, 5,103 were women (14.42%), and 4,785 were children (13.52%). Motorcycle accidents accounted for a significant portion of the fatalities, with 11,593 deaths from 11,669 accidents, representing 32.76% of the total. The motorcycle accident rate stood at 35.64%. Additionally, 8,358 pedestrians were killed, making up 23.62% of the total fatalities. Drivers and their assistants made up 14.86% of the deaths, with 5,261 individuals losing their lives. 20 dead, 24 injured in Sylhet division road accidents in Sept During this period, 587 waterway accidents claimed 1,021 lives, injured 582, and left 369 missing. Meanwhile, 1,403 people were killed and 1,269 injured in 1,228 railway accidents. The RSF report, based on data from nine national newspapers, seven online news portals, electronic media, and its own sources, highlighted the significant toll accidents have taken on the country. Accident statistics by road type revealed that 36.48% of accidents occurred on national highways, 35.73% on regional roads, 15.46% on rural roads, and 12.14% on urban roads. Among the victims, 11,593 (32.76%) were motorcyclists, 1,915 (5.41%) were bus passengers, 2,511 (7.09%) were passengers in goods carrying vehicles (trucks, pickups), and 1,544 (4.36%) were passengers in private vehicles (cars, microbuses). Four Dead in two separate road accidents in Ctg and Magura The report also revealed that the Dhaka division saw the highest number of accidents, with 24.96% of incidents, while the Sylhet division recorded the lowest at 6.29%. These alarming figures highlight the urgent need for stronger road safety measures and stricter enforcement to reduce the high death toll on Bangladesh’s roads.

Eight people were killed after a private car lost control and fell into a roadside canal in Pirojpur Sadar upazila early thursday. The incident occurred at the Nurani Gate area along the Pirojpur-Nazirpur road. Fire service personnel, alerted by local residents, recovered the bodies from the submerged vehicle at around 3am. Death toll from Sherpur floods rises to 9 as one more dies Additional Superintendent of Police in Pirojpur, Md. Mukit Hasan Khan, confirmed the deaths. The deceased include two men, two women, and four children. They  have been identified as Shaon Mridha,32, his wife Amena Begum,30, and their sons Abdul,3 and Shahadat,10, all residents of Hoglabunia village in Nazirpur upazila, Pirojpur and  Motaleb,45, his wife Sabina Akter,30, daughter Mukta,12, and son Soyaib,2, all residents of Ragunathpur, Sherpur Sadar upazila. Shaon’s cousin, Murad, said that Shaon and Motaleb had been traveling back from Kuakata to Shaon’s residence in Hoglabunia after a trip. Around 3 am their car lost control at the Nurani Gate area and plunged into a canal, where it became submerged. 20 dead, 24 injured in Sylhet division road accidents in Sept Locals immediately informed the fire service and police. Upon recovery, all eight passengers were rushed to Pirojpur District Hospital, where doctors declared them dead. Dr. Asif Hossain of Pirojpur District Hospital said that the victims were brought in around 3:30 am. According to Additional Superintendent of Police Mukit Hasan Khan, an ID card found on Motaleb confirmed his identity, and he was employed as civil staff in the Bangladesh Army.

A 24-year-old woman died after being hit by an Akash Paribahan bus on Pragati Sarani Road in Dhaka's Badda area on Wednesday. The deceased was identified as Ieren, 24, an employee of an IT financial company called Next Venture.  Zia Uddin Ahmed, additional deputy commissioner of the Gulshan Traffic Division, confirmed the matter. After the accident, the deceased's colleagues blocked the road. As a result, heavy traffic congestion was created from Badda to Malibagh. Four killed, 10 injured in Tangail road crash Later, the police reached the spot and the traffic situation returned to normal. Sub-Inspector (SI) Md. Abbas of Badda Police Station said that although the bus was seized, the driver and the helper fled the scene. Legal proceedings regarding the incident are underway, he said.

A 48-hour transport strike initiated by the Brihattor Chattogram Ganaparibahan Malik Sramik Oikkyo Parishad began this morning (April 28, 2024), significantly disrupting daily life in the port city amidst a severe heatwave. The strike, which affects buses, minibuses, human haulers, autorickshaws, and other three-wheelers, has led to considerable difficulties for commuters across the city. Impact on Commuters From early in the morning, commuters, including office workers, students, and senior citizens, were seen waiting for long periods at several points in the port city due to the scarcity of mass transportation. The streets showed a markedly decreased traffic flow, with most vehicles off the roads in response to the strike call. Transport workers confirmed that no long-distance buses departed from Chattogram today. Md Musa, the member secretary of the transport body, stated that movement of buses and three-wheeler vehicles has been suspended since 6 am. Buses from other parts of the country are also prohibited from entering Chattogram during the strike period. MV Abdullah leaving UAE for Bangladesh today Background of the Strike The strike was called following an incident where students of the Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology (CUET) reportedly set buses on fire in protest after two of their peers were killed in a road accident. The students, Shanto Saha and Tawfiq Hasan, both from the Civil Engineering department, died when a bus hit their motorbike on the Chattogram-Kaptai road on April 22. In retaliation, some CUET students vandalized three buses and set another on fire. The protests escalated over the following days, leading to the university's closure and the postponement of academic activities. Demands and Protests The transport workers' strike is a protest against the damage inflicted on their vehicles and calls for compensation for the burnt buses, along with the arrest of the accused students. The strike encompasses Chattogram city, district, Cox’s Bazar, and three hilly districts. It aims to press home a four-point demand, emphasizing the need for justice and reparations from the damages incurred during the student protests. Emergency Services Exempt Despite the widespread disruption, the strike organizers say that emergency vehicles, including ambulances, will not be affected by the strike. The transport strike is scheduled to conclude at 6 am on Tuesday. Water crisis adds to woes of Khulna residents amid extreme heat University Response and Continued Tensions The CUET administration attempted to quell the unrest by meeting with the protesting students, who assured they would halt their demonstrations and return to academic activities. However, following an emergency syndicate committee meeting on April 26, CUET authorities decided to keep the campus closed until May 9.

Roads in Bangladesh have become more dangerous with fatalities and injuries almost every day and the two highways from Dhaka to Khulna and Barishal are two of those which have witnessed 320 fatalities in the past one year. Unskilled drivers, over-speed, negligence of authorities concerned and rules violation are blamed for the frequent road accidents on highways although the highway police claimed that several measures have been taken to reduce road accidents. The recent deadly road crash on Dhaka-Khulna highway that claimed 15 lives raised question whether these measures were adequate to control the fatal accidents . On April 16, 15 people including five members of a family died in a collision between a bus and a pick-up van on Dhaka-Khulna highway at Kanaipur of Faridpur district. A five-member probe body was formed to investigate the accident and  two more members including an expert from Buet were also included in the committee, headed by Additional district Magistrate Ali Siddique. Faridpur road crash: 18-month old loses both parents The committee was asked to submit its report within three working days. At least one representative from the Roads and Highways division, Highway police, district police and Fire Service were also included in the committee. National Committee to protect Shipping, Roads and Railways (NCPSRR) said the authorities concerned including police and BRTA can’t avoid responsibility for the Faridpur road crash on Dhaka-Khulna highway. Condemning the authorities’ negligence, the NCPSRR said although carrying passengers on trucks, pick-up vans and good- laden vehicles is prohibited the vehicle was heading towards Dhaka from Faridpur’s Boalmari with 25-30 passengers on board. On March 8, three people died and ten others were injured when a bus overturned on Dhaka-Barishal highway in Bhanga. Besides, nine people died in separate accidents in January. Roads and Highways division and highway police blame over-speed, unskilled drivers, reckless plying of motorbikes and pedestrians’ desperate bid to cross the highways behind the accidents and fatalities. 5-member probe body formed over Faridpur road crash According to Faridpur Highway Police sources, the length of the Bangabandhu Expressway from Jatrabari in Dhaka to Bhanga in Faridpur is 55 kilometers. Of these, 32 kilometers are from Jatrabari to Padma Bridge and 23 kilometers from Janjira to Bhanga. In the last one year, 131 people were killed in 135 accidents on the expressway and of these, 63 accidents occurred in Bhanga portion that claimed lives of 67 people. There are five highway police stations, one police outpost and two camps under the 381 km highway in Madaripur region. Shahinur Alam Khan, superintendent of Madaripur Region highway police, said 320 lives were lost on the two highways in the last one year but a number of measures have been taken to prevent road crashes. In the past one year, 28,404 cases were filed and Tk 9,43,26,200 was fined for reckless driving on the two highways, said the SP. Police, BRTA can’t avoid responsibility for fatal Faridpur road crash: National Committee Besides, 271 cases were filed in 432 road accidents on Dhaka-Khulna and Dhaka-Barishal highways, he said. Morshed Alam, superintendent of Faridpur police, said the owners and transport workers must play a big role alongside the passengers to stop accidents on highways. Besides, the residents along the highways have to be more responsible while using highways, he said.

At least 13 people were dead and 15 others were injured in a head-on collision between a bus and a pickup van on the Dhaka-Khulna highway at Sadar upazila in Faridpur district this morning (April 16, 2024). All the victims were passengers of the pickup van, and five of them were from the same family. Two dead, 20 injured in head-on collision between buses in Mymensingh Some of the deceased were identified as Rafiq Mollah, 35, his wife Sumi Begum, 23, his sons Ruhan Mollah, 6, and Habib Mollah, 3, and Rafiq's mother. Rafiq worked as a liftman at a government office in Dhaka. After the Eid holidays, he was returning to Dhaka with his family. The identities of the other deceased could not be known immediately.

In Bangladesh, motorcycles, with their ease of navigation and cost-effectiveness, have become a popular mode of transport. However, this preference comes with a significant drawback: motorcycles are at the epicenter of the nation’s road safety crisis. While there was a hopeful decrease in motorcycle-related accidents in the past year compared to 2022, these two-wheelers remain the most common protagonist in the tragic tales of road accidents across the country. The situation is dire, with not only deaths being a common outcome but an increasing number of individuals suffering life-altering injuries, including the loss of limbs. The National Committee to Protect Shipping, Roads and Railways (NCPSRR), a vigilant civic organization, illuminates this pressing issue with alarming statistics: from 2020 to 2023, 33-40% of all annual road accidents involved motorcycles. This figure has been on a distressing upward trajectory since the start of this year. According to the NCPSRR, the daily average ranges from 8 to 10 fatalities in 10 to 12 motorcycle accidents—a grim statistic that often escapes the attention of the national media spotlight. The heart of this crisis is attributed to the presence of underage, unskilled, and unlicensed drivers on the roads. The lack of stringent enforcement by the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) and the police has been pinpointed as a contributing factor. Ashis Kumar Dey, the general secretary of NCPSRR, doesn’t mince words when he lists the reasons behind the spike in motorcycle accidents: the proliferation of motorcycles, including many that are unlicensed, and reckless driving habits are significant contributors. Dey strongly believes that both law enforcement and the regulatory body, BRTA, need to intensify their efforts. Motorcycle rider dies in Dinajpur road crash To combat this escalating problem, Dey proposes a comprehensive crackdown on underage and unlicensed riders and unregistered motorcycles. He advocates for the implementation of mobile courts across all districts for three consecutive months, a bold strategy aimed at curtailing the rampant violations contributing to road safety hazards. The Road Safety Foundation (RSF) adds a quantitative dimension to the discourse with its annual report, revealing that in 2023, 6,524 individuals, including 974 women and 1,128 children, lost their lives in 6,911 road accidents across the country. Motorbike riders and pillion passengers comprised a staggering 38.12% of these fatalities. Delving deeper into the data, RSF provides a comparative analysis of motorcycle accidents and fatalities over recent years, presenting a grim narrative of increasing incidents and loss of lives, peaking in 2022. However, a glimmer of hope emerges from the 2023 statistics, showing a 14.83% decrease in accidents and a 19.54% drop in fatalities compared to the previous year. Despite this positive trend, Saidur Rahman, executive director of RSF, remains cautious, warning that this decrease should not be prematurely celebrated as a sign of sustained improvement in road safety. Rahman further elaborates on the challenges at hand, pointing out that motorcycles constitute 71% of all motor vehicles in the country, with a significant portion of these riders being teenagers and young adults. This demographic exhibits a pronounced disregard for traffic laws, exacerbated by a lack of stringent monitoring and enforcement, leading to reckless behavior and tragic outcomes. The discourse takes a critical turn as Rahman highlights the frequent clashes between motorcycles and larger vehicles such as trucks, covered vans, and buses. The drivers of these larger vehicles often lack the necessary skill or are overworked, contributing to their involvement in accidents with motorcycles. The inadequacy of the public transport system and the chronic issue of traffic congestion have further popularized motorcycles as a preferred mode of transport, despite the associated risks. Man hit by motorcycle in Jatrabari dies In a noteworthy development, Rahman acknowledges the role of increased awareness and the efforts of highway police in the recent decline in motorcycle accidents. Abu Raihan Md Saleh, Joint Commissioner (Traffic-North) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police, supports this view, attributing the reduction in accidents to the rigorous enforcement of traffic laws. Saleh’s remarks underline the police’s commitment to curbing reckless riding, unregistered bikes, and license violations, although this has led to complaints from bikers about perceived overzealous policing. Saleh also emphasizes the crucial role of parental responsibility in preventing underage and inexperienced individuals from taking to the roads on motorcycles. He expresses optimism that with heightened vigilance from parents and guardians, the trend of motorcycle accidents can be further curbed. This multifaceted crisis of motorcycle safety in Bangladesh calls for a concerted effort from all stakeholders: law enforcement, regulatory bodies, civic organizations, and the community at large. The statistics and stories paint a clear picture of the challenge ahead, yet they also offer a blueprint for action. By addressing the root causes of motorcycle accidents and implementing targeted safety measures, Bangladesh can hope to navigate its way out of this perilous situation, making its roads safer for everyone. Increase vigilance on movement of three-wheelers, motorcycles during Eid holidays: Quader

Three people were killed and two others injured as a speeding truck crashed into a battery-run autorickshaw on Dhaka-Tangail highway in Gazipur’s Kaliakair upazila on Monday (February 19, 2024) morning. The identities of the deceased could not be known immediately. Naojhor Highway police station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Shahdat Hossain said the Tangail–bound truck hit the autorickshaw in Sutrapur area, leaving five people including the autorickshaw driver injured. Read: Bus-auto rickshaw collision leaves 7 people dead in Mymensingh Members of fire service and police rescued the injured and took them to Kaliakair upazila health complex where physicians declared three of them dead upon arrival. The rest were undergoing treatment at the hospital, he said, adding that all the victims were passengers of the autorickshaw. Read more: Bus-motorcycle collision leaves one dead in Faridpur

During a routine vehicle inspection on the Sylhet-Sunamganj road at Temukhi, Sylhet district, six policemen sustained injuries when a bus hit them early Thursday (February 15, 2024) morning. The incident occurred as the officers were operating a check-post established to enhance road safety measures. The injured officers include Azbahar Ali Sheikh, Additional DIG and Deputy Commissioner of Sylhet Metropolitan Police; Kawsar Dastagir, Additional Deputy Commissioner; Zahurul Islam, Assistant Commissioner of Airport Police Station; SM Nunu Mia, Officer-in-Charge of Airport Police Station; Rezul Karim, Assistant Sub-Inspector; and driver Nayek Habibur Rahman. Read: Repatriation of 330 Myanmar security forces from Bangladesh underway According to Zakir Hossain, Commissioner of Sylhet Metropolitan Police, the accident happened around 6 am when a 'Real Coach' bus from Sunamganj, while undergoing checks, struck the policemen, causing various degrees of injuries. The victims received immediate medical attention at a local hospital, with Azbahar Ali Sheikh being admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) for further treatment. Read:RAB arrests ARSA ‘second-in-command’, 2 members from Rohungya camp Following the incident, police detained the bus supervisor and impounded the vehicle. However, the bus driver managed to escape from the scene. Authorities are currently investigating the accident and have initiated efforts to apprehend the fleeing driver.