At least 322 people were killed and 826 others injured in 315 road crashes in 15 days during the last Eid-ul-Fitr holidays, said a report of the Passenger Welfare Association of Bangladesh on Wednesday.
Comparing with the journeys during Eid-ul-Fitr in 2024, the number of road crashes in the country decreased by 21.05 per cent, deaths by 20.88 per cent and injured people by 40.91 per cent in this year.
This year, between March 24 and April 7, a total of 20 people were killed and eight others injured in 21 railways accidents and 10 people were killed, one was injured and one remained missing in four waterways accidents, the report said.
The report, prepared on the basis of news published in the media, was released at a press conference at Dhaka Reporters Unity in the capital, said a press release issued by the association.
Eid-ul-Fitr was celebrated in the country on March 31.
On the occasion, the government announced a five-day holiday from March 29 to April 2. April 3 was announced a general holiday, which was followed by weekly holidays of April 4 and 5. March 28 was also a weekly holiday.
The PWAB report observed that this year due to extended vacation people left Dhaka phase by phase which made the journeys comfortable and reduced the number of road accidents.
During this Eid festival, in the highest 135 road crashes involving motorcycles, the highest 151 people were killed and 155 others injured, which were 42.85 per cent of total road crashes, 46.85 per cent of deaths and 18.76 per cent of the injured people.
Among other fatal and injury victims, 117 were transport workers including drivers, 50 were pedestrians, 33 were students, 20 were members of law enforcement agencies, six were teachers and four were political leaders and activists.
Of the crashes, the highest 42.22 per cent were caused by crushing or hitting pedestrians or other vehicles, followed by 27.3 per cent by head-on collisions, 20 per cent by losing control and then fell into roadside ditches, 8.57 per cent by other reasons, 1.58 per cent by collision with trains and other road transports and 0.31 per cent by tangling scarves with vehicle wheels.
The highest percentage, 38.41 per cent, of road crashes took place on national highways, followed by 34.6 per cent on feeder roads and 21.26 per cent on regional highways.
Out of total crashes, 3.49 per cent took place in Dhaka city and 0.63 per cent in Chattogram city.
The association secretary general, Md Mozammel Hoque Chowdhury, urged the government to take steps including making skilled drivers, developing modern bus networks, implementing laws properly and stopping importing easy bikes to make the road transport sector disciplined.
