Statistics by a non-government organisation on causalities in road accidents during Eid holidays contradict with the government data, raising confusion over the accurate number of victims.

Bangladesh Passengers' Welfare Association yesterday claimed 155 people were killed in road crashes in between July 1 and July 9 across the country. But the government says 42 people died in road crashes during the corresponding time.

Such a difference in the numbers of causalities has created confusion among people, road safety activists and experts.

Accurate information is very important to take necessary measure to check road accidents, said Kazi Md Saifun Newaz, assistant professor of Accident Research Institute (ARI) at Buet.

Talking to The Daily Star, road safety activist Aminur Rasul said if the authorities concerned do not have proper data on accidents, it would not be possible to address the problem.

Bangladesh Passengers' Welfare Association unveiled the report at a press conference at the Jatiya Press Club yesterday. It claimed the report was prepared on the basis of news reports of 14 national and regional newspapers and online news agencies.

On the other side, the road transport and bridges ministry on July 11 held a meeting at the ministry's conference where officials evaluated the government's traffic management mechanism during the Eid rush.  

Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader told the meeting that 42 people were killed during Eid holidays, according to a press release of the ministry.

The government report was prepared on the basis of information of the ministry's control room that monitored traffic situation across the country round the clock during the Eid holidays, said officials concerned.

However, according to The Daily Star's independent findings, 52 people were killed in road accidents between July 5 and July 9.

Road accidents killed 40 people last year, 67 in 2014, 52 in 2013, 42 in 2012, 38 in 2011 and 63 in 2010, according to The Daily Star research.

The report of Bangladesh Passengers' Welfare Association has meanwhile come up with several recommendations to reduce road accidents.

The recommendations include checking speed on the highways and overloading, stopping plying of unfit vehicles, regular training of drivers, building public awareness, constructing separate lanes for slow moving vehicles and modernisation of driving licence issuing system.

Talking to The Daily Star, road safety activist Ekram Ahmed, also former chairman of the Public Service Commission (PSC), suggested that penalty for violators of traffic rules should be increased to bring discipline in the road transport sector.

He also demanded that the government introduce effective measures to expand and popularise waterways and rail network across the country.