Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan on Saturday said road accident is the leading cause of deaths in the country rather than cancer or kidney diseases.

‘Every year, around 6,000 small or big road accidents take place in the country where 3,000-3,500 people lose their lives. Various measures, including widening of roads, have been taken to curb road accidents,’ he said.

The minister was talking to reporters after inaugurating a new Fire Service and Civil Defence station in Burichang upazila.

The home minister also said most vehicles plying the streets in the capital are unfit and drivers of these vehicles have no licence.

He also lamented that no one—passerby, passenger and driver—obeys traffic rules.

About the attack on journalists, Asaduzzaman said the law enforcers were directed to identify the attackers after scrutinising the video footage and take action against them.

Former Law Minister Abdul Matin Khasru was, among others, present.

Later, the home minister inaugurated a sculpture, Chetonay 71, at Cumilla Police Lines and attended a rally there.