AT LEAST 322 people died and 826 became wounded in 315 road accidents during Eid-ul-Fitr holidays, keeping to Passenger Welfare Association of Bangladesh figures. While the report notes some progress in view the corresponding 2024 occasion, as accidents reduced by 21.05 per cent, fatalities by 20.88 per cent and injuries by 40.91 per cent, the overall figures remain concerning. In the period, with 20 death are reported in 21 railway accidents and 10 death in four waterway accidents. The extended Eid holiday from March 28 to April 5, which allowed people to travel in phases, was expected to ease highway pressure and reduce risks. The absence of severe congestion was also a positive outcome. Yet, the scale of death and injuries suggests that more fundamental issues in transport safety remain unresolved. Motorcycle-related accidents were many, accounting for about 43 per cent of all road accidents and about 47 per cent of the total death. Notably, 117 transport workers, 50 pedestrians and 33 students were among the deceased, pointing to a wide social impact of road fatalities.
The figures highlight a recurring pattern in accident causes and victim demographics that points to structural failures in road regulation and management. A high proportion of motorcycle-related casualties indicates a pressing structural issue in traffic management and transport planning. The proliferation of two-wheelers, many unregistered or driven by inadequately trained people, has outpaced regulatory capacity. Although motorcycles offer an affordable mode of travel, their disproportionate share in accidents, particularly on highways where 38.41 per cent of the accidents took place, points to a mismatch between vehicle types and road infrastructure. The causes of accidents show both reckless driving behaviour and infrastructural vulnerabilities. That only 3.49 per cent of incidents occurred within Dhaka city further highlights that regional and inter-district routes remain the most perilous. Despite measures such as highway patrols and mobile courts, enforcement remains patchy and reactive. The lack of a structured framework for training long-route drivers, combined with the unchecked import and use of easy bikes, continues to undermine road safety. The recurrent patterns of accident types and victim profiles suggest that short-term logistic measures around Eid are insufficient to address long-standing systemic lapses.
The government should, therefore, prioritise structural reforms in the transport sector beyond festival-centric interventions and address vulnerabilities in the system. Steps should include enforcement, investment in safer and more durable road networks and reorientation of mobility towards safer modes such as trains and river vessels. A structured initiative to produce trained drivers and bring all forms of motorised transports under an effective oversight is essential. Without long-term reforms, road safety during Eid and beyond will remain elusive.
