Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr Samanta Lal Sen has said noted activist-economist Prof Anu Muhammad requires combined surgery. “After seeing the pictures sent by the doctors last night, I decided that Professor Anu Muhammad needs a combined operation for his injuries. For this reason, he has been brought from Dhaka Medical College Hospital to Sheikh Hasina Burn Institute," he said. Prof Anu Muhammad suffers serious injuries while getting down from train in Dhaka Samanta was speaking to reporters after a board meeting on Professor Anu Muhammad at Sheikh Hasina National Burn and Surgery Institute on Monday afternoon. “The Honorable Prime Minister inquired about Professor Anu Muhammad's condition this morning. She has instructed us to take all necessary measures. I have also informed her of everything. This institute will be better for a combined operation. We need orthopedics, I think it will be better if everyone works together on this matter. We want him to recover and return to his workplace," said the minister. 25-year-old dies of heatstroke in Ctg Speaking about the adverse situation due to the intense heat wave, Samanta said, "Today we talked to the principals of all the medical colleges in the country. We have had a detailed discussion on how the students of the medical colleges will stay in this intense heat and have taken some decisions in this regard. Most of the classes will be online and instructions have been given to bring patients to the clinics and take clinical classes in rooms where there is air conditioning. We hope that this natural condition will not last long. It will be fixed. Then the normal situation will return again."

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.

In a distressing incident last night, reckless driving led to a multi-vehicle crash inside the Bangabandhu Tunnel in Chattogram, resulting in damage to at least five vehicles and injuring several people. The accident, occurring in one of the tunnel's lanes, underscores the growing concerns over traffic safety. Assistant Sub-Inspector Billal Hossain of the Karnaphuli Police Station, under the Chattogram Metropolitan Police, reported that the chain-reaction collision was initiated by a private car that lost control due to excessive speed. The vehicle's erratic maneuvering led to it colliding with nearby cars, impacting a total of three private cars and two microbuses. Read more: Out of control truck smashes into two other vehicles on Dhk-Ctg Highway; helper dead, 10 injured Following the accident, one of the injured was rushed to Chattogram Medical College Hospital for immediate medical attention, while others sought treatment at various hospitals. The precise number of individuals injured in the ordeal remains uncertain. In the aftermath of the collision, authorities seized all vehicles involved as part of their ongoing investigation into the incident. This accident adds to a troubling pattern of similar occurrences within the Bangabandhu Tunnel, which has seen seven to eight accidents in the mere four months following its inauguration on October 28 last year. The situation has been further complicated by a video that surfaced online, showcasing illegal car racing inside the tunnel immediately after its opening. The viral footage prompted legal action, with a case filed on November 1 against the individuals involved, highlighting the urgent need for enhanced safety measures and stricter enforcement of traffic regulations within this crucial infrastructure. Read more: Bangabandhu Tunnel under the Karnaphuli River: All you need to know

A truck driver's helper was killed and 10 other people including the driver were injured as he lost control of his vehicle and hit a microbus and another truck on the Dhaka-Chattogram Highway in Sitakunda on Friday. The deceased helper's name could not be known. Bean produced in Chattogram’s Sitakunda exported to Italy for the first time Fire Service and highway police sources said the accident happened in the early morning when the goods-laden truck crashed into the other truck, and then the microbus from behind, when it lost control in Kamaldah area on the highway, leaving the helper dead on the spot and 10 more people including microbus passengers injured.   Protests on the highway as Tripura Sardar dies in Sitakunda road crash The injured were rushed to Sitakunda Upazila Health Complex, said Kumira highway police outpost in-Charge (IC) Abdul Hakim Azad. Ward Councillor fined for breaching electoral code in Sitakunda

Two people died and one other was injured after the motorcycle they were on lost control and hit a road pillar on the All-weather Road in Mithamoin upazila of Kishoreganj on Monday afternoon. The incident happened on the south side of Dhaki Bridge in Dhaki Union of the upazila at around 4:45 pm on Monday. BNP holds protest rally rejecting polls in Kishoreganj The deceased were identified as Yasin, 25 of Chanpur area of Mithamoin upazila and Amir Hossain, 20 of Kathal Bari area of Companiganj Police Station in Sylhet. The injured is Mizanur Rahman, 30, of the Ghagra Dayahati area. Mithamoin Police Station Officer-in-Charge Ahsan Habib confirmed the matter.  Tk 6-crore Mosque: Donation boxes at Kishoreganj's Pagla Masjid yield record amount The three people were coming from Itna to Mithamoin by motorcycle. On the way, the motorcycle collided with a side pillar on the south side of Dhaki Bridge in Dhaki Union of Mithamoin Upazila at around 4:45pm. Yasin and Amir Ali died on the spot, and Mizanur Rahman was seriously injured, he said. Mizanur was referred to Kishoreganj Hospital in a critical condition, added the OC. Truck set on fire in Kishoreganj

A motorcyclist died after a truck ran him over in Bogura’s Kahalu upazila on Monday. The deceased was identified as Amzad Hossain, 45, of Kalai Damgara of the upazila. Bogura-4: Hero Alam announces boycott during vote counting The incident happened after Amzad lost control of his motorcycle and fell on the road, following which a truck ran him over on the Namuja-Baro Mile road in Kaura Bazar of Kalai union of the upazila on Monday. 2 independent candidates attacked by boat supporters in Bogura Kahalu Police Station Officer-in-Charge Selim Reza confirmed the matter. Policeman killed in Bogura road crash

A teenager was killed after being run over by an unidentified vehicle in the capital's Jatrabari area on Thursday morning. The deceased was identified as Nayem,13, a street boy living in the area. Police foil Jamaat’s human chain in Dhaka’s Jatrabari The accident occurred this morning when the vehicle hit Nayem under the flyover, opposite of Jatrabari Kalapatti, leaving him dead on the spot, said Md. Kamruzzaman, sub-inspector of Jatrabari Police Station. Bus torched in Dhaka’s Jatrabari Police recovered the body and sent it to Dhaka Medical College morgue for an autopsy. "We are trying to find details about Nayem", added the officer. Police recover bodies of a man, teenage girl from Jatrabari

Police have arrested the driver of a sport utility vehicle (SUV) that ploughed into a passenger shed in Dhaka's Khilkhet last night, killing three people and injuring one. The driver of the vehicle, Dishan, was arrested on Thursday in a case filed by victim Armina’s husband at the police station, said Khilkhet Police Station Officer-in-Charge Sheikh Aminul Bashar. Road accidents leave four people dead in 3 districts Among the deceased, Yasin, 8, died on the sport while Amrina Haque, 34, and Ujjal Pandey, 26, died at Dhaka Medical College Hospital while undergoing treatment there. Soon after the incident, the SUV was seized, but its drive fled the spot. Road accident leaves election officer dead in Dhaka Yasin's father Sumon is undergoing treatment at the orthopaedic department of the casualty block at Dhaka Medical College Hospital. Sub-inspector (SI) Mosharraf of Khilkhet Police Station said the bodies were handed over to the relatives without autopsy following an appeal by the families of the deceased. 3 killed in Dhamrai, Savar road accidents