Bangladesh faced a significant rise in road accidents in 2025, resulting in 9,111 fatalities and 14,812 injuries from 6,729 crashes. Concerns have been raised regarding the country’s inadequate road safety measures and infrastructure. Mozammel Hoque Chowdhury, the Secretary General of Bangladesh Jatri Kalyan Samity, shared these alarming statistics during a press conference in Dhaka.
The Bangladesh Jatri Kalyan Samity highlighted that road accidents in 2025 increased by 6.94% compared to the previous year. Fatalities rose by 5.79%, while injuries surged by 14.87%. Motorcycle-related crashes were a significant contributor, with 2,493 incidents leading to 2,983 deaths and 2,219 injuries, representing a substantial portion of the total accidents and casualties.
The victims of these accidents included 1,691 drivers, 551 transport workers, 832 students, and 29 teachers. Shockingly, 1,056 women and 622 children also lost their lives in these tragic events. Mozammel Hoque Chowdhury expressed concerns over escalating traffic congestion and extortion, leading to increased transportation costs for both goods and passengers.
Chowdhury criticized the interim government led by Yunus for its failure to address the issues plaguing the road transport sector in Bangladesh. He emphasized the urgent need for political commitment to tackle the high financial losses, estimated at around Bangladeshi taka 60,000 crore annually, due to road accidents and fatalities.
The Bangladesh Jatri Kalyan Samity identified 22 factors contributing to road accidents, including overspeeding, dangerous overtaking, vehicle defects, driver incompetence, ignorance of traffic regulations, and substandard road construction. To combat this alarming trend, the organization proposed 12 recommendations, such as boosting the road safety budget, establishing a dedicated road safety wing under the Road Transport and Bridges Ministry, and ensuring transparency in the transport sector by addressing issues like corruption and monopolies.
