‘299 killed in accidents during Eid holidays’

At least 299 people lost their lives in accidents during Eid-ul-Azha journeys between 6 and 18 August, the Jatri Odhikar Sangrakkhan Parishad said Tuesday, reports UNB.

While unveiling its findings at the National Press Club, the organisation said at least 818 people were also injured during the period.

At least 250 accidents took place on roads, rails and waterways, according to the report prepared by the organisation's accident research and monitoring cell.

Retired brigadier general GM Quamrul Islam, the organisation's president, dubbed the statistics "horrific and alarming".

The data were collected from 18 national dailies, six local dailies and 10 online news portals.

Most of the vehicles involved in accidents on highways were buses and motorcycles.

Meanwhile, 16 people were killed in 21 accidents on waterways. Twenty-three people were injured while 51 remained missing.
Thirty people lost their lives in rail accidents during the same period.

An excessive rush of people, rundown roads, reckless driving, unskilled drivers, animal-laden trucks and pickups, among others, were identified as causes of road accidents.

Dhaka Metropolitan Police's Detective Branch officer DA Tayeb, Bangladesh Sarak Paribahan Sramik League's additional secretary general Hanif Khokon, BUET's assistant professor Kazi Saifun Newaz, Bangladesh Sarak Paribahan Sramik Federation's secretary general Mokhlesur Rahman and Driver Training Center's chairman Nurun Nabi Shimu, among others, were present at the press conference.