Analysts Say: Road accident fatalities 5 times higher than official data
Graphics: Agamir Somoy
Every day, lives are lost in numerous road accidents in places across the country. But the full count of these deaths does not make it into government records. Because only the accidents that lead to legal cases are typically enter into the police database. As a result, organizations working on road safety and experts allege that the official statistics do not reflect the true picture.
Recently, based on data from Police Headquarters, the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) reported that in 2025, a total of 4,639 people were killed and 2,818 injured in 4,633 road accidents across the country.
However, those concerned have raised questions about this tally. They claim that the actual number of road accidents and casualties in the country is five to six times higher than the official figures. According to the 2025 annual report of the Road Safety Foundation, 7,359 people were killed and 16,476 injured in 7,584 road accidents in the country that year. Meanwhile, the Bangladesh Passenger Welfare Association's report stated that in 2025, there were 6,729 road accidents, with 9,111 fatalities and 14,812 injuries.
Md. Mozammel Haque, Secretary General of the Passenger Welfare Association, told Agamir Somoy that the number of road accidents in the country exceeds 30,000 per year. However, because their reports are based on news published in the media, not all accidents are included in the police database. He alleged that the report published by BBS using Police Headquarters data is unrealistic.
An analysis of the BBS Statistical Yearbook 2025, published on June 30, shows that the highest number of accidents occurred in the Dhaka Metropolitan area, where 280 road accidents killed 195 people over the past year. However, Chattogram district topped the list in terms of fatalities, with 259 deaths in 254 accidents. Comilla ranked second, with 242 deaths in 241 accidents. The report, however, did not specify the types or causes of these accidents.
When contacted about this, Mohammad Shahinur Alam Khan, Superintendent of Police (SP) of the Cumilla region for Highway Police, said that the Dhaka-Chattogram highway—one of the country's busiest motorways—runs through Cumilla. On this same road, high-speed vehicles travel alongside smaller vehicles. The presence of markets and educational institutions alongside the highway also leads to heavy pedestrian movement. People are forced to cross the road either because they do not use footover bridges or because there are none available. These factors increase the risk of accidents. He also claimed that regular cases are filed under the Road Safety Act and awareness activities are being carried out.
Road accident fatalities: Dinajpur ranks third
Dinajpur ranks third in terms of road accident fatalities. Last year, 203 people died in 187 accidents in the district. Harun Ur Rashid, General Secretary of the Dinajpur district committee of Nirbhak Sadak Chai (NISCHA), pointed to reckless motorcycle riding and unlicensed three-wheeler drivers as among the leading causes of accidents. He said that unfit vehicles and inexperienced drivers are causing accidents every day.
An analysis of BBS data shows that Rajshahi, Mymensingh, Rangpur, Bogura, Sirajganj, Natore, Narayanganj, Gazipur, and Tangail also saw relatively higher numbers of road accidents.
Organisations working on road safety have alleged that most minor and medium-scale accidents do not even result in police cases. As a result, they are not entered into the police database. Similarly, many injured individuals later die in hospitals, but that information is often not linked to the original accident record. This causes the official statistics to undercount the actual number of casualties.
When asked about this, A.H.M. Shahadat Hossain, Assistant Inspector General (Media and Public Relations) of Police, told Agamir Samay that the BBS report was prepared based on records of road accident cases filed at police stations and outposts across the country. He added that while some minor accidents may not be recorded at the station, information on major accidents is generally documented.
However, Professor Md. Hadiuzzaman, former Director of BUET's Accident Research Institute, commented, "When different organisations publish their own data based on various newspapers, it creates confusion in the information. Therefore, according to globally accepted practices, police data must be considered the reliable source."
Noting that the police database should be the most reliable, he recommended making the database more comprehensive so that information on every road accident in the country is included in it.
