At least 1,841 people have been killed and 5,477 injured in road accidents across the country in a span of just three and a half months of the current calendar year, reveals a survey by a passenger platform.
Eighty-seven per cent public transports ply the roads in Dhaka violating traffic rules, found the survey conducted by Bangladesh Passengers' Welfare Association (BPWA).
The study revealed that more than 5.0 million buses, minibuses and other vehicles ply the roads in Bangladesh of which 72 per cent are unable to meet the fitness compliances.
The findings of the study were made public at a roundtable titled "Ways to overcome anarchy and mismanagement on roads," organised by the platform at the National Press Club on Saturday, says a press release.
The survey showed only 1.6 million drivers out of 7.0 million in the country have licence, authorised by Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA).
Mozammel Haque Chowdhury, secretary general of the platform, said 1, 841 people were killed and 5,477 injured in 1,779 road accidents across the country till April 20 this year.
Of them, 288 became physically disabled, he added.
He termed these accidents as planned murders.
"We are forced to use roads in such anarchic situation," he said reading his keynote paper.
Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) of Bangladesh Kazi Reazul Hoque said an adequate number of training schools for the drivers are a must.
He also emphasised enforcing fine for violating traffic rules on highways and ensuring emergency aid for the accident victims to reduce casualties.
Public transport expert Dr Saleh Uddin Ahmed terming most of the accidents murders said mismanagement and corruption play a role behind this.
Effective measures must be taken to stop deaths on roads, he said.
Convener of Ganasanghati Movement Zonayed Saqi said, "We are speaking on public safety on roads at a time when the nation is mourning the death of Rajib Hossain, killed in a tragic road accident in the capital."
He stressed the need for ensuring punishment for the traffic rule violators, improving the conditions of roads and highways and reducing load from those by promoting other means of transportation such as the railways and waterways.
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