360 students killed in road crashes in first half of 2026: BJKS

Bangladesh Jatri Kalyan Samiti (BJKS) said that around 360 students were killed and 109 others injured in 320 road accidents across Bangladesh during the first six months of the year, from January to June.

The organisation’s Secretary General Mozammel Hoque Chowdhury disclosed the figures in a statement sent to the media on Saturday, marking the 15th anniversary of the Mirsharai tragedy. 

He said that raising students’ awareness about road safety would not only help ensure safer roads but also contribute to building a more disciplined nation.

According to the BJKS analysis, based solely on road accident reports published in the media between January and June, 57 students were killed and 22 injured in 57 road accidents in January.

In February, 47 students were killed and 11 injured in 39 accidents. March recorded 67 student deaths and one injury in 59 accidents. In April, 56 students were killed and 25 injured in 51 accidents. May saw the highest monthly death toll, with 73 students killed and 23 injured in 61 accidents. In June, 60 students were killed and 27 injured in 53 road accidents.

Mozammel Hoque said in the statement that there has been a lack of regular road safety awareness programmes involving students, teachers and guardians to prevent a repeat of tragedies like the Mirsharai accident. As a result, he said, numerous students lose their lives in road crashes every year, while many others suffer permanent disabilities due to their injuries.

He also recalled that on July 11, 2011, a minitruck carrying students from several schools in Chattogram’s Mirsharai upazila lost control and plunged into a roadside ditch, killing 45 people, including students. The incident remains the deadliest single road accident in Bangladesh’s history.

Despite that tragedy, he alleged, no effective and sustained road safety awareness initiatives have been introduced for students. Consequently, he said, students and their guardians have not developed adequate awareness, leading to the continued loss of student lives in road accidents every year.