288 Killed and 630 Injured on Sylhet's Roads in Just Nine Months
Road accidents have taken a frightening toll in Sylhet. In just the first nine months of this year, 288 people have lost their lives on the district's roads, while a further 630 have been injured. The figures mean that, on average, almost one person a day has died in a road crash somewhere in Sylhet.
The statistics have emerged at a time when National Road Safety Day is being observed across the country, with calls to reduce accidents and ensure safe travel. Awareness and obedience to the law are emphasised in the day's discussions every year, but Sylhet's numbers show that the reality on the ground remains far away.
The figure of 630 injured is no less worrying. Many of those hurt in road crashes spend long periods in hospital, and some live with permanent disability for the rest of their lives. Behind every accident lies the story of a family whose income, children's education and future plans collapse.
On the roads of the Sylhet region, heavy vehicles, long-distance buses and trucks share the same routes with motorcycles, CNG-run auto-rickshaws and battery-run vehicles. People working on road safety identify this mixed traffic, excessive speed and a tendency to overtake as major causes of crashes.
Road is the main means of communication between the divisional city of Sylhet and Dhaka and other parts of the country. Thousands of passenger and goods vehicles use these routes every day. The pressure grows further during Eid and other holiday seasons, and the risk of accidents rises with it.
For the bereaved families, these statistics are not just numbers. Losing an earning member suddenly pushes many families into financial crisis, while many others fall into debt paying for the treatment of the injured.
Road safety specialists have long argued that reducing accidents requires everything together: stricter training and licensing of drivers, stopping unfit vehicles, controlling speed on highways, and identifying and fixing accident-prone spots. Awareness campaigns alone will not deliver results.
The role of pedestrians and passengers also matters. Crossing the road at designated places, not boarding or leaving moving vehicles, and wearing a helmet on a motorcycle are simple rules that, if followed, could save many lives, those concerned believe.
The picture of 288 deaths in nine months has raised fresh questions about road management in Sylhet. Ensuring that the number does not rise further in the remaining three months of the year is now a demand of the time—from the administration, transport owners and workers, and ordinary passengers alike.
