The year 2024 witnessed a staggering 6,974 accidents across road, rail, and waterways in Bangladesh, resulting in 9,237 deaths and 13,190 injuries, as revealed by the Bangladesh Passengers Welfare Association. Of these, road accidents alone accounted for 6,359 incidents, claiming 8,543 lives and injuring 12,608 individuals.

The findings were disclosed on Saturday, January 4, during a press conference held at the Sagar-Runi Auditorium of Dhaka Reporters Unity. The event, titled "Publication of the 2024 Road Accident Report," was organized by the Bangladesh Passengers Welfare Association and led by its Secretary-General, Mozammel Haque Chowdhury.

The report highlighted the devastating impact of road accidents in 2024, which affected diverse groups including 168 members of law enforcement, 1,952 drivers, 1,879 pedestrians, 622 transport workers, 755 students, 126 teachers, 1,206 women, 658 children, 48 journalists, 17 doctors, 16 freedom fighters, one film actor, six lawyers, 12 engineers, and 215 political activists.

Mozammel Haque Chowdhury expressed grave concerns over the unchanged structural issues in transportation despite changes in government leadership. He pointed to the persistent presence of unfit vehicles, inadequate enforcement of laws, and widespread extortion in the transport sector. Chowdhury remarked that while the handover of power might change who collects bribes, the core problems—such as poor vehicle fitness and lax law enforcement—remain unaddressed.

He criticized authorities like the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) and the traffic police for prioritizing revenue collection over ensuring public safety. Chowdhury emphasized that road accidents cannot be mitigated through mere public statements, gatherings, or advertisements without tangible action to address the underlying issues.

The press conference also featured remarks from notable figures including Professor Robayet Ferdous from Dhaka University’s Department of Mass Communication and Journalism, social development worker Abdullah Al-Zahir Swapan, Vice President of the Bangladesh Passengers Welfare Association Tawhidul Haque, Joint Secretary-General Monirul Haque, Publicity Secretary Mahmudul Hasan Russell, and Ziaul Haque Chowdhury from the Accident Monitoring Cell.

In their speeches, participants underscored the urgent need for systemic reforms to improve transport safety and accountability. The findings and recommendations of the report called for immediate government intervention to address the factors contributing to the country’s alarming accident statistics.