Both the incidents of deaths and injuries in road accidents in Bangladesh saw a drastic rise in 2021 compared to 2020, according to Road Safety Foundation (RSF).
The RSF also estimated Tk 96.31 billion (9,631 crore) as the human resources loss from the fatalities in the accidents.
Some 6,284 people were killed and 7,468 others injured in road accidents from January to December 2021 across the country while at least 5,431 people were killed and 7,379 others injured in road accidents in 2020, according to an annual report prepared by the organisation.
Among the deceased, 927 women and 734 children faced the tragic end of their lives in 2021 while some 871 women and 649 children faced the same fate in 2020, it said.
The report was unveiled at a press conference at Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU) on Saturday morning.
The number of accidents also witnessed a sharp rise in the last year.
During the period, a total of 5,371 road accidents took place in 2021 while 4,735 in 2020, as per the report.
Of them, the number of accidents involving motorcycles was the highest.
At least 35.23 per cent of people were killed in those accidents related to bikes.
The RSF prepared the report based on news items of seven national dailies, five online news portals and visual media.
Unfit vehicles, rash driving, lack of skills, mental and physical sickness, inadequate benefits for drivers, slow movement of vehicles on the highways, reckless bike ride by youths, improper traffic management system and lack of awareness about traffic laws were responsible for the accidents, the RSF observed.
The organisation suggested increasing skilled drivers, strengthening the capability of Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) and enforcing the existing laws to minimise road accidents in the country.
