295 killed in Eid travel

273 people were killed and 447 injured in 240 road accidents on their way to their ancestral homes to celebrate Eid, or when returning to Dhaka after Eid.

In the 15 days before and after Eid, a total of 295 people were killed and 488 injured in Eid travel, taking into account all modes of transport, that is, by road, rail or waterways.

Bangladesh Jatri Kalyan Samity (JKS) said this is the highest number of casualties for all Eid travel in the last six years.

The organisation said, like every year, the highest number of people died in motorbike accidents. This year, 93 people were killed in motorbike accidents.

Jatri Kalyan Samity leaders disclosed the information at a press conference for their 'Report on road accidents during Eid journeys of 2021', at Dhaka Reporters' Unity, on Friday. The report was prepared based on media reports published between 14 July and 26 July.

According to the organisation, 242 people were killed and 331 injured in road accidents during last year's Eid journey. In the last six years, 1,500 people were killed and 4,356 injured in 1,288 accidents during Eid journeys.

This year, 33.33% of all the accidents occurred on national highways, 43.33% on regional highways, 18.33% on feeder roads, and 0.83% at rail crossings. 

Mozammel Haque Chowdhury, secretary general of the Jatri Kalyan Samity, said that due to the efforts of various quarters of the government during the last Eid, the number of accidents and deaths on the road was less. But during this year's Eid, although vehicular and human movement was limited by a strict lockdown, road accidents and deaths increased largely due to lack of surveillance by the authorities concerned.

The press conference was also attended by JKS Vice-President, Tauhidul Haque Liton, Joint Secretary General Monirul Haque, Publicity Secretary Anwar Hossain, and others.