Dhaka: A total of 45,395 people were killed and 38,770 others suffered injuries in as many as 55,316 road accidents across the country in the last 15 years.

Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader told this in the Jatiya Sangsad on Monday while replying to a tabled question from treasury bench member M Israfil Alam.

Quader said, according to information of the Bangladesh Police, a total of 55,316 road accidents took place in the country from 2000 to April 2015.

He informed the House that 38,770 people received injuries in those road crashes during the same period.

Replying to another question from treasury bench member Monowara Begum, the minister said a project under South Asia Sub-regional Economic Cooperation (SASEC) Road Connectivity is underway to upgrade Joydebpur-Chandra-Elenga Highway to four-lane.

He expected that the physical work on the project would begin in July this year while the project would be completed in July 2018.