Every day, 87 people die in road crashes in Bangladesh, according to the Global Status Report on Road Safety 2023. Beyond statistics, these deaths mean broken families and devastated communities. Road crashes are a major public health crisis, demanding immediate, systemic, and enforceable policy action to save lives and ensure safety.
The Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) reported 5,495 road crashes in 2023, resulting in 5,024 deaths and 7,495 injuries. This translates to an average of 14 fatalities per day. Furthermore, BRTA data from January 2025 alone shows 511 crashes, leading to 483 deaths and 566 injuries. The discrepancy between BRTA figures and the Global Status Report highlights that Bangladesh lacks a proper, comprehensive database system for road crash victims, making it difficult to capture the true scale of the crisis. Beyond the tragic human cost, road crashes exert a heavy toll on our economy. According to national estimates, Bangladesh loses approximately 2.5% of its GDP each year due to road crashes—through medical expenses, productivity loss, and vehicle damage. In a developing economy like ours, this is an unaffordable loss.
The reasons behind the high rate of road crashes in Bangladesh are multifaceted. Excessive speeding, reckless driving, driving under the influence, poor road design, lack of enforcement of traffic rules, and inadequate pedestrian infrastructure are among the leading causes. The proliferation of unregulated and often unsafe small vehicles—such as motorcycles, battery-powered rickshaws, and locally assembled contraptions like nasimon-karimon—has created chaos on both urban and rural roads. These vehicles often operate without licenses, insurance, or proper training for drivers, exacerbating the already dire road conditions.
Pedestrians, too, are increasingly becoming victims. The absence of safe pedestrian crossings, footbridges, and dedicated walking or cycling lanes, combined with risky behaviors such as mobile phone use while crossing roads or using headphones, increases the likelihood of fatal crushes.
Infrastructural deficiencies are also showy. Many footbridges are poorly located or not user-friendly, leading people to risk crossing busy roads instead. Markets, houses, and bus stops are often constructed dangerously close to the road, increasing exposure to hazards.
Bangladesh currently has the Road Transport Act 2018 and the Road Transport Rules 2022, both of which were developed in response to widespread public demand—especially following the 2018 student protests for road safety. While these laws introduced several improvements, including speed regulations and mandatory helmets and seat belts, they fall short in addressing the root causes of road crash fatalities.
A major gap in the existing legislation is the absence of a dedicated Road Safety Law. The current laws are focused primarily on transport management and do not sufficiently address the comprehensive safety needs of road users, especially pedestrians and cyclists. Moreover, enforcement remains weak. Without robust implementation, even the best-designed laws fail to make a difference.
The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) aim to reduce global deaths and injuries from road traffic crushes by 50% by 2030. To support this, the UN has outlined five key risk factors to tackle: seatbelt use, speeding, helmet standards, drunk driving, and child restraints. Additionally, the WHO has identified five strategic pillars for road safety: road safety management, safer roads, safer vehicles, safer road users, and post-crash response.
Bangladesh has pledged to global road safety goals, but without a dedicated Road Safety Law and strong enforcement, progress will stall. Adopting a Safe System Approach is crucial—acknowledging human error while ensuring roads prevent fatalities. This demands shared responsibility from policymakers, designers, manufacturers, enforcers, and the public.
It is time for Bangladesh to act decisively. Road safety is not a luxury—it is a right. Every citizen deserves to move safely on the roads, whether walking, cycling, or driving. We cannot afford to lose more lives, nor can we continue to burden our economy with preventable losses. Enacting a comprehensive Road Safety Law is the first critical step. But legislation alone is not enough—it must be backed by implementation, investment, and unwavering political will.
A safer road system will not only reduce deaths and injuries—it will also foster trust, mobility, and inclusive economic growth. In a country striving toward middle-income status and sustainable development, ensuring road safety is not optional—it is foundational.
Let this be our pledge: A Comprehensive Road Safety Law is Essential for safe roads now and always.
Md. Monoarul Islam Monib is Advocacy Officer (Policy), Health Sector, Dhaka Ahsania Mission. He can be reached at monoarul@amic.org.bd
