Poor Roads, Over speeding Blamed for Rising Traffic Deaths in Bangladesh

Dhaka: Bangladesh has witnessed a sharp increase in road crashes and casualties in 2025, leaving 9,111 people dead and 14,812 injured in 6,729 accidents, raising concerns over poor road safety and infrastructure in the country, according to a welfare platform. Mozammel Hoque Chowdhury, Secretary General of the Bangladesh Jatri Kalyan Samity, a passenger welfare platform, revealed the data while addressing a press conference at Dhaka Reporters’ Unity on Sunday.

Citing news reports, the Bangladesh Jatri Kalyan Samity documented that road crashes in 2025 rose by 6.94 per cent compared to 2024, while fatalities increased by 5.79 per cent, and injuries by 14.87 per cent. As per the findings, 2,493 motorcycle-related crashes in 2025 claimed 2,983 lives and left 2,219 injured, accounting for 37.04 per cent of total crashes, 38.46 per cent of deaths, and 14.98 per cent of injuries. The fatalities included 1,691 drivers, 551 transport workers, 832 students, and 29 teachers, while women and children accounted for 1,056 and 622 deaths, respectively.

Meanwhile, Chowdhury alleged that rising traffic congestion and extortion have once again driven up fares for goods and passenger transport. He also accused the Yunus-led interim government of failing to reform the road transport sector of Bangladesh, leaving people’s daily travel woes, road safety, and unchecked fares at the mercy of transport owners. According to Chowdhury, the country suffers financial losses of around Bangladeshi taka 60,000 crore each year, from road crashes and fatalities, emphasising the need for strong political commitment to prevent further loss of lives.

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He called on all political parties contesting the February 2026 national election to include pledges on road safety and improved public transport in their election manifesto, to reduce deaths and financial losses. In its findings, the Bangladesh Jatri Kalyan Samity identified 22 causes of road crashes, ranging from overspeeding and dangerous overtaking to unfit vehicles, driver incompetence, ignorance of traffic laws, and poor road construction.

The organisation put forward 12 recommendations aimed at curbing road crashes, including increasing the road safety budget, establishing a road safety wing under Bangladesh’s Road Transport and Bridges Ministry, and ensuring good governance in the transport sector by dismantling monopolies of owners’ associations, corruption, irregularities, and extortion.