Deaths and injuries in road accidents in Bangladesh saw a drastic rise in 2022 compared to 2021, according to Passengers Welfare Association of Bangladesh.
The fatalities that occurred in 2022 were the highest in the last eight years, it revealed.
The association said some 9,951 people were killed and 12,356 others injured in road accidents from January to December 2022 across the country, while at least 7,809 people were killed and 9,039 others injured in road accidents in 2021, according to an annual report prepared by the organisation.
Among the deceased, 1,150 women and 794 children faced the tragic end of their lives in 2022, it said.
The report was unveiled at a press conference at Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU) on Monday morning.
The number of accidents also witnessed a sharp rise last year.
A total of 6,749 road accidents took place in 2022, compared to 5,629 in 2021, as per the report.
The welfare association prepared the report based on news items from different national dailies, online news portals, and visual media.
It observed that unfit vehicles, rash driving, lack of skills, mental and physical sickness, inadequate benefits for drivers, slow movement of vehicles on the highways, reckless bike riding by youths, an improper traffic management system, and a lack of awareness about traffic laws were responsible for the accidents.
The organisation urged the ruling Awami League government to implement its election manifesto to curb road accidents and fatalities.
It also suggested increasing skilled drivers and enforcing the existing laws to minimise road accidents in the country.
