Nearly 33,000 killed in Bangladesh road crashes over five years, report says

Nearly 33,000 people have been killed in road accidents across Bangladesh over the past five years, with motorcycle riders accounting for about one-third of the deaths, according to figures cited in a report on road safety.

The report said the deaths occurred in more than 300 accidents and about 500 people were injured. Drivers losing control accounted for 39.04% of crashes. Regional roads accounted for 37.05% of accidents and highways for 35.25%.

Experts blamed excessive speed, unregulated motorcycles and easy bikes, growing numbers of battery-powered rickshaws, unsafe road design, wrong-way driving and unskilled motorists.

“After a road accident, the person or institution responsible does not receive any punishment,” one expert said. The expert called for stronger institutional accountability, increased capacity and structural reforms.

Drivers interviewed for the report also blamed speeding and aggressive overtaking, particularly where slow-moving local vehicles share roads with faster buses and cars.