More than 400 people were killed in 335 accidents on highways, waterways, and train during the Eid-ul-Fitr travel, says figures released by a passenger welfare body.
The Bangladesh Jatri Kalyan Samity (BJSK) said on Friday that 1,274 others also sustained injuries between Jun 11 and Jun 23.
In a “Report on Road Accident in Eid journey- 2018,” it said a total of 277 road accidents took place across the country killing 339 people and injuring 1,265 others.
Citing the figures of accidents on the rise, BJSK Secretary General Mozammel Haque Chowdhury said, “Active monitoring by the authorities caused less number of road fatalities ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr.”
“Less monitoring by the authorities after Eid caused a rise on the fatalities,” he added.
Rights activist Sultana Kamal said, “No bus in the capital follows the law with abrupt competition on overtaking among the drivers.
“In fact, irresponsibility causes the growing tendency to violate the law,” she said.
The body, however, underscored several reasons behinds the growing number of the accidents.
It includes movements of unfit vehicles, driving without rest, reckless driving, lack of skilled drivers and helpers, uncontrolled movements of three-wheelers vehicles and motorcycles on highways, lack of monitoring and poor conditions of roads and highways.
The passengers’ platform also placed a set of recommendations to bring down the number of road fatalities.
It includes strengthening the National Road Safety Council, set up national training centers for driving, regular audit of road safety, making vehicles available to tackle the passengers overload during Eid, introducing separate lanes for speedy and slow driving, implementing the ban on movement of three-wheelers on highways, stopping the movement of unfit vehicles, repairing damaged roads and highways and building footpath, overpass and underpass for pedestrians on national and regional highways.