Bangladesh’s roads turned deadlier in February, claiming 578 lives and injuring 1,327 people in just 28 days, according to a report by the Road Safety Foundation.
With an average of 21 deaths per day, the alarming statistics highlight the ongoing crisis in road safety in the country. Motorcycles accounted for the highest number of casualties, with 227 deaths—nearly 40% of the total fatalities. Pedestrians and transport workers also made up a significant portion of the victims.
Additionally, 114 pedestrians (19.72%) and 82 transport workers, including drivers and assistants (14.18%), lost their lives. Among the deceased, 73 were women and 87 were children.
The report reveals that 596 road accidents took place in February. National highways were the most dangerous, recording 209 crashes (35.06%), followed by regional roads with 268 accidents (44.96%), rural roads with 73 (12.24%), and urban streets with 46 (7.71%).
The causes of accidents varied, with 253 incidents (42.44%) resulting from loss of control, 142 (23.82%) due to head-on collisions, 121 (20.30%) involving pedestrians being struck, and 62 (10.40%) from rear-end collisions.
National highways were the most dangerous, recording 35% of the crashes, while regional and urban roads also saw a high number of fatal incidents. Among the deceased, 73 were women and 87 were children. In Dhaka alone, 34 road crashes resulted in 27 deaths and 36 injuries, making the capital one of the most affected areas.
Beyond road accidents, Bangladesh also witnessed deadly incidents on railways and waterways. Fourteen railway accidents led to 13 deaths and six injuries, while two separate waterway accidents claimed four lives and injured two others.
Dhaka Division recorded the highest number of road crashes (205) and fatalities (198), whereas Barishal Division saw the lowest, with 34 accidents and an equal number of deaths. The capital, Dhaka, saw 34 road crashes, leading to 27 deaths and 36 injuries.
The rising fatalities have raised serious concern among experts and activists. Victims included two police officers, 11 teachers, four journalists, two doctors, 11 NGO officials, 29 businesspersons, and 14 local political leaders.
The Road Safety Foundation urges stricter enforcement of traffic laws, improved infrastructure, and better driver training to curb the increasing death toll. Experts warn that without immediate intervention, road accidents will continue to be a leading cause of death in Bangladesh, putting thousands of lives at risk each year.
