Dhaka: Around 8,581 people were killed and 17,524 others injured in 5,928 recorded road accidents across the country last year, according to Bangladesh Jatri Kallyan Samity (BJKS).

Besides, it says, some 2,300 cases were filed with different police stations across the country in connection with the accidents in between 1 January and 31 December during the period.

BJKS, a non-government organisation working for passengers’ rights, on Thursday released the figures compiling from reports published in 10 national and five local newspapers and television channels.

During the period, 26,112 people, including passengers, drivers and transport workers had been the victims of the road accidents, the BJKS report said.

Among the injured people, 1,623 lost their various organs of their bodies, including legs and hands.

According to the report, 1,266 buses, 1413 trucks and covered vans, 712 human-haulers, 390 cars, jeeps and microbus, 1231 auto-rickshaws, 1468 motorcycles, 1173 battery-run rickshaws and 1069 nasimon-kariman (locally made vehicles) met the road accidents.

The report reveals that 615 people were killed and 1842 others injured in 585 accidents in January last year, while the figure was 539 and 1272 respectively in 479 accidents in February last.

In March last year, 588 people were killed and 1706 injured in 545 road accidents across the country, while the figure was 601 and 1576 respectively in 563 road accidents in April.

In May, 738 people were killed and 2046 other injured in 578 accidents, while the figure was 689 and 1836 respectively in 506 accidents in June, 2014.

In July, 503 people were killed and 1332 others injured in 423 accidents, while the figure was 462 and 1606 respectively in 476 accidents in August last year.

In September, 2015, 602 people were killed and 1007 others injured in 403 accidents and the figures were 412 and 1224 respectively in 396 accidents in October the same year.

In November, 488 people were killed and 969 others injured in 503 accidents, while the figures were 396 and 1107 respectively in 441 accidents across the country in December, 2014.

Scrutinizing the statistics, BJKS said 53 percent of the accidents occurred on national and local highways, 26 percent in city areas and 21 percent in rural or feeder roads.  

The number of pedestrian’s death rose to 60 percent in haat-bazaar areas of both cities and villages due to footpath grabbing, the BJKS report added.