Road accidents kill 546 people in Bangladesh in January

At least 546 people were killed and 1,204 injured in 552 road accidents across Bangladesh in January, with motorcycles accounting for the largest share of fatalities, 24NewsHD TV channel reported on Sunday.

The annual report by the Accident Monitoring Cell of the Bangladesh Passenger Welfare Association revealed that nearly 37.86 percent of all reported accidents involved motorcycles, underscoring persistent safety concerns linked to two-wheeled transport.

Regionally, the Dhaka Division recorded the highest number of incidents during the month, with 132 accidents resulting in 133 deaths and 328 injuries. By contrast, the Sylhet Division saw the lowest toll, where 29 accidents claimed 28 lives.

The report also provided a breakdown of vehicles involved in crashes, showing motorcycles at the top with 28.46 percent, followed by trucks, pickups and lorries at 23.64 percent, buses at 14.35 percent, battery-powered rickshaws and easy bikes at 13.63 percent, and CNG-run auto-rickshaws at 5.54 percent.

Victims came from diverse segments of society, including drivers, pedestrians, women, children, students, transport workers and teachers. 

The data further showed that members of law enforcement agencies and medical professionals were also among those killed, highlighting the widespread human cost of road accidents in the country.

Reporter: Salim Reza