At least 103 people, including nine women and 13 children, were killed and 424 others injured in road accidents during the eight-day Eid-ul-Azha vacation until Friday (16 Sept), says news agency UNB.
National Committee to Protect Shipping, Roads and Railways (NCPSRR) revealed the statistic in a media release on Saturday.
The NCPSRR made the report based on reports published in online version of different newspapers, online news portals, news agencies and news aired by TV channels.
The report said the causalities took place on roads, national highways and regional roads across the country, including capital Dhaka, during the period from 9 September.
Though the government announced public holidays from 11 September, virtually the Eid vacation started on 9 September as 8 September was the last working day, it added.
According to the report, four people were killed and 94 others injured on 9 September while at least 22 people killed and 53 injured on 10 September, nine killed and 44 injured on 11 September and 10 more killed, 39 other injured on 12 September.
Besides, 10 people were killed and 17 injured on 13 September, the Eid day, while 19 killed and 51 injured on 14 September, six killed and 13 injured on 15 September and 23 killed and 113 injured on the last day of the Eid vacation on 16 September.
The NCPSRR found five major reasons behind the huge causalities in road accidents — reckless driving to make up the time lost in tailbacks, lack of sincerity of traffic police in performing their duties during the long vacation, losing attention by drivers due to pressure of passengers to drive fast, lack of physical and mental fitness of drivers for additional trips to cope with the huge passenger load and drivers tendency to flout traffic rules in overtaking.
Source: Prothom-Alo
