At least 390 people were killed and 1,182 more injured in 379 road accidents across Bangladesh during Eid-ul-Azha, said a Passenger Welfare Association of Bangladesh report published on Monday.
Compared with Eid-ul-Azha in 2024, this year road accident death toll rose by 16.07 per cent, injuries by 55.11 per cent and incidents of road crash by 22.65 per cent.
This year for the first time the government declared a 10-day Eid-ul-Azha holiday, compared with the three-day holiday for the occasion last year that also had the weekend of Friday-Saturday attached to it. Last year, Eid-ul-Azha holiday was in June 16-18 with June 14鈥�15 attached to it.
During the just passed Eid-ul-Azha holiday, trains were involved in the next highest number of deaths with 25 people killed in 25 railway accidents that also injured 12 individuals.
In 11 accidents involving waterways, 12 people were killed and six went missing during this period.
The report was prepared based on reports published in different national dailies, seven online news portals, different electronic media and own sources covering a period between May 31 and June 14, said a press release issued by the association.
Earlier on the day, the association revealed the report at a press conference held at Dhaka Reporters鈥� Unity.
As per the report, motorcycles were involved with the highest number of accidents.
This Eid, 134 motorcycle accidents killed 147 and injured 148.
In terms of percentage, motorcycles were involved in 26.54 per cent road accidents, followed by 19.11 per cent involving trucks and covered vans, 18.58 per cent involving buses, 13.62 per cent involving battery-run rickshaws, 7.61 per cent involving human hauler Nasiman and Kariman, 7.43 per cent cars and microbuses, and 7.07 per cent involving CNG-run auto-rickshaws.
Of the accidents, the highest 40.63 per cent happened when vehicles crashed onto other objects, followed by 28.23 per cent by head-on collisions, 20.05 per cent by the vehicles falling into roadside ditches as the drivers lost control, 10.29 per cent by other reasons, and 0.79 per cent by collision between trains and other vehicles.
According to the report, the highest, 37.2 per cent road accidents took place on the national highways, followed by 28.49 per cent on feeder roads, and 28.23 per cent on regional highways.
Out of total accidents, 4.48 per cent occurred in Dhaka metropolitan area and 0.79 per cent in Chattogram metropolitan city.
The association said that most of these fatal road crashes happened due to driving for a very long period without rest and dilapidated roads that became risker after heavy rain.
Association founder and secretary general Md Mozammel Hoque Chowdhury at the press conference stressed that the capacity of the public transport must be increased and all smaller vehicles must be removed from the highways to reduce fatal road accidents.
Numerous people travelling on the roof of trains and goods carriers, which is unlawful, increase the risk of fatal road accidents manifold, he said.
The association recommended a ban on importing motorcycles and battery-run rickshaws, sufficient lighting and service lanes on highways and implementation of the existing road sector laws.
In 2024, as per the Passenger Welfare Association, 8,543 people were killed and 12,608 were injured in 6,359 road accidents. On an average 712 people were killed each month last year, its report showed.