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At least 242 people were killed and 331 others injured in some 201 road accident during Eid-ul-Azha journeys in 13 days, from July 26 to August 7, across the country.
Bangladesh Jatri Kalyan Samity, a passenger welfare association, revealed the information at a press conference at the Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU) on Sunday.
The organisation said all those casualties were recorded in some 201 road accidents during the Eid journey to and from village home during the period.
Meanwhile, at least 74 people were killed, 39 injured and 17 went missing in 33 accidents on waterways in the country, the association said.
“One person was also killed in four train-related accidents,” it added.
Mozammel Haque Chowdhury, secretary general of Jatri Kalyan Samity said that their accident monitoring cell prepared the data from the national newspapers and other media.
Despite low rush on the roads due to coronavirus outbreak, the rate of road accidents during this Eid was worrying.
“Besides, presence of private vehicles increased this year because of pandemic and restriction from the government side,” the association observed.
Of the total 201 road accidents, 88 were motor bike accidents which killed 106 and injured 65 people across the country during this period meaning 43.78 per cent out of the total accidents and 43.08 per cent of the total fatalities.
Of the accidents, 32.33 per cent were happened on the national highways and 49.25 per cent on the local highways and 13.43 per cent on the feeder roads, it added.
Despite having only 15 to 20 per cent passengers travelled during this Eid, it witnessed huge casualties, said Mr Chowdhury.
He called for shutting down the importing of small vehicles and launching public buses on the roads, apart from proper training for private vehicle drivers, transparency and accountability in the regulatory bodies.