On the eve of Independence Day, a tragic accident claimed at least 26 lives. On Wednesday afternoon, a bus carrying around 50 passengers plunged into the Padma River at Daulatdia Ghat of Rajbari. Immediately after the incident, it was expected that most of the passengers would die as the images of the bus falling into the river indicated that there is a little chance that the ill-fated passengers would be able to come out safely from the sunken bus.
On the heels of the accident, various questions cropped up in the mind as to whether the accident could be averted, whether there was negligence on the part of the driver.
The media reports at around 5:15 pm on Wednesday, a passenger bus of Souharda Paribahan bound for Dhaka lost control at Daulatdia Ghat No. 3 and fell into the Padma River from the pontoon.
Whatever the causes of the incident, the harsh reality is that 26 precious lives including children have been lost in the tragedy. An inquiry committee has been formed to find the causes and come up with recommendations to avert accidents in the future.
But the general perception is that such probe body is mere eyewash, as in most of the cases, it is found that perpetrators are not brought to book while there is no follow-up action. As a result, such accidents go on unabated and lives are lost frequently. The question is who is actually responsible for this. In our country, the top authority never takes responsibility. Only lower-tier staffs are held responsible and punished.
In stark contrast, it was noted that even ministers resigned taking the responsibility of the accidents. For example, on 1 March 2023, Greek transport minister resigned after 36 people died in a deadly rail crash in Greece. In August 2024, Egypt transport minister stepped down after a train accident that killed 25 people.
The ministers in our country even don't feel it necessary to carry out their duties and responsibilities to prevent accidents in the future let alone tenders their resignation. This can be argued that the minister does not remain at the steering, how he is responsible for the accident. However, the transport minister has many things to do to bring down the road accidents. In the past various committees have been formed and many steps have been taken to prevent the road crashes. Still road accidents are frequent in our country. According to a report of the news agency UNB, a total of 35,384 people have died and 53,196 injured in 32,733 accidents between 2019 and 2024.
On 13 September 2025, the Jatri Kalyan Samity, a non-government organisation working for the safety and rights of the passengers, revealed in a discussion that, over the past 11 years, 62,619 road accidents in the country have claimed 86,690 lives and left 153,257 people injured.
During the discussion, Secretary General Md. Mozammel Haque stated that over the past decade, road accidents, traffic congestion, and pollution have taken a heavy toll on the country’s economy, public health, and social fabric.
Experts identify reckless driving, illegal overtaking, weak enforcement of traffic laws, unskilled drivers, unfit vehicles, and narrow, poorly maintained roads—along with excessive speed—as the major causes of road accidents.
Meanwhile, to reduce road accidents, various studies recommend raising public awareness, strengthening law enforcement, identifying high-risk zones, wearing seat belts and helmets, improving infrastructure and promoting responsible driving behaviours.
Considering the severity of road accidents and the country’s economic constraints, a nationwide public awareness campaign can be launched, involving all members of parliament. School and college students, drivers, motorcyclists, civil society members, local leaders, and people from all walks of life can be actively engaged to make the initiative successful.
Without requiring significant funding, the Transport Ministry could lead a campaign programme that would effectively reduce road accidents. The question remains: how many more lives will be lost before the lead ministry takes action?
*Rabiul Islam is a journalist at Prothom Alo. He can be reached at [email protected]