<div><span style="font-size: 1rem;">As many as 739&nbsp; people including 109 children were killed and 2042 others injured in 632&nbsp; road accidents across the country in July.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Of these, 251 people died in motorbike accidents alone, which is 33.96% of the total fatalities, Road Safety Foundation said in its latest report released on Saturday.</div><div><br></div><div>These road crashes left 118 pedestrians, 137 drivers and their assistants dead during the period.</div><div><br></div><div>On the other hand, 14 waterways accidents claimed at least 18 lives with seven injuries. Besides, 41 were killed and 33 others injured in 26 train accidents across Bangladesh last month.</div><div><br></div><div>Road Safety Foundation prepared the report based on the reports of nine national dailies, seven online news portals and electronic media.</div><div><br></div><div>Of the total accidents, 252 accidents occurred on the national highways, 199 on regional roads, 109 on rural roads, 64 on city roads and eight in other places, said the report.</div><div><br></div><div>According to the report, 31.48% accidents occurred in Dhaka division, 15.18 % in Rajshahi, 16.61% in Chattogram, 13.13% in Khulna, 5.69% in Barishal, 4.90 % in Sylhet, 6%in Rangpur and 6.69% in Mymensingh divisions.</div><div><br></div><div>The highest number of accidents was recorded in Dhaka division where 228 people were killed in 199 accidents. Forty-six people were killed in Barishal division, the lowest compared to other divisions, said the report.</div><div><br></div><div>The RSF pointed out several major reasons behind the rise in the number of road accidents.</div><div><br></div><div>The reasons include - faulty vehicles; reckless driving; desperate mentality, incompetence and illness of drivers; unsettled wages and working hours; prevalence of low-speed traffic on highways; reckless motorcycling by the youth; the tendency of flouting traffic rules, poor management of traffic; lack of efficiency of the BRTA; and extortion in the sector.</div><div><br></div><div>The RSF urged the authorities concerned to take necessary initiative to address the issues. - UNB</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>