265 killed in 210 accidents during Eid journeys: JKS
At least 265 people were killed and 1,153 others injured in 210 accidents on roads, waterways and railways across the country in 12 days from September 7 to 18 during their Eid-ul-Azha journeys.
Bangladesh Jatri Kalyan Samity (JKS), a passengers welfare association, came up with the statistics at a press conference at the Jatiya Press Club yesterday.
Addressing the conference, association secretary general Mozammel Haque Chowdhury said the people fell victims to accidents from September 7 to 18.
He said 248 people were killed and 1056 others injured in 193 accidents on roads and highways, while 10 killed and 30 others injured on waterways during the period. Besides, seven people were crushed under the wheels of trains and over 50 others suffered injuries as they skidded off the roof of moving a train, he added. Mozammel claimed that the sufferings of passengers and also the number of accidents marked a rise during this Eid-ul-Azha journey compared to the last Eid-ul-Fitr journeys. According to the accident report, 21 people were killed on Sept 7, while 12 Sept 8, 13 on Sept 9, 28 on Sept 10, 18 on Sept 11, 23 on Sept 12, 12 on Sept 13, 29 on Sept 14, 13 on Sept 15, 35 on Sept 16, 37 on Sept 17 and 24 on Sept 18.
The association found over speed, reckless driving, risky overtaking, absence of road dividers, defying traffic rules, driving by unskilled drivers, shabby roads, lack of awareness of passengers, overloading, lack of separate lanes for slow vehicles, unfit vehicles and attending phone calls by drivers while driving as the major reasons behind the accidents.
President of Consumer Association of Bangladesh (CAB) and former chairman of Anti-Corruption Commission Golam Rahman, Associate Professor of Accident Research Institute of the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (Buet) Kazi Md Shifun Newaz, President of Bangladesh Society of Emergency Medicine Prof Dr Humaiyun Kabir Chowdhury, Jatri Kalyan Samity Adviser Kazi Masud Ahmed and transport owners leader Rustum Ali Khan were, among others, present.
