200 killed during journeys in 12 days: JKS
UNB
Dhaka: Around 200 people were killed and 756 others injured in 124 recorded accidents on roads, waterways and railways in 12 days, including the nine-day Eid vacation, from 1 July across the country.
Bangladesh Jatri Kallyan Samity (JKS), a rights body, revealed the figure at a press conference at Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU) in the city on Friday.
The road accident monitoring cell of the organisation prepared the report, said its secretary general Mozammel Haque Chowdhury.
Among the accidents, three river accidents led to the death of 11 people while three people killed in separate railway accidents. The rest of the casualties are related to road crashes.
Reading out the report, Mozammel Haque said though the holidays of the recent Eid-ul-Fitr covered a long timeframe, the road accidents increased compared to the Eid holidays in the recent past.
The report said most of the incidents took place due to reckless driving on roads.
Of the accidents, 51 percent was caused by head-on collisions, 12 percent by veering off the route, four percent for loss of control over steering, 23 percent for overloading and 10 percent for faulty vehicles as well as ‘drivers’ unconsciousness’.
The JKS observed that weak traffic laws, reckless driving, faulty vehicles and roads as well as lack of awareness of passengers are responsible for the accidents.
The JKS placed some recommendations, including initiatives to control speed of vehicles, digitising vehicles’ fitness system, auditing road safety, skill development of drivers through training, designating separate lanes for speedy vehicles and slow-moving ones, modernising the driving license system and preventing the plying of vehicles without fitness certificate, to reduce road accidents.
Former Chairman of Public Service Commission Ikram Ahmed, joint secretary of Nirapad Sarak Chai Goni Mia Babul, member secretary of Nirapad Noupath Bastabayun Andalan Aminul Rasul Babul and member of road accident monitoring cell of JKS Md Shamsuddin Chowdhury were, among others, present during the press conference.