At least 182 people were killed in 69 road accidents in the country In the first three months of this year.

The number of deaths in these accidents was higher in Comilla, Dhaka. Jhenidah, Feni and Mymensingh districts. according to newspaper reports.

Senior police officials told this correspondent there are three main reasons for road accident. These are reckless driving. Inefficiency of the drivers and lack of public awareness. An official of Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA)

pointed out that overloading of transports is another reason for frequent accidents.

The most tragic accident this year was the collision between a passenger bus and a truck on Dhaka-Chittagong highway in Comilla on January 23. Ten people were killed and 40 injured in the accident.

About 20 per cent of the accidents in the three months were due to reckless driving as a result of which motor vehicles fell into roadside ditches, the reports showed.

Another accident on Dhaka-Chittagong highway took place

on March 28 due to reckless driving of two inter-district passenger buses. Both the buses fell into a roadside ditch in Siddhirganj. leaving nine people killed and at least 25 injured.

Drivers of motor vehicles do not follow speed limits as the authorities concerned do not properly monitor the speed of vehicles on the roads properly. A high official of Dhaka Metropolitan Police, however, said steps had been taken to install speed detectors.

Speed detectors will be set up at strategically important pqjnts while qn duty policemen should take immediate action against those violating the speed limit, he added.

Another police official identified the plying of slow moving vehicles like rickshaws, rickshaw vans and carts on the highways as another reason l>enind road accidents. He also said lack of awareness of people is a major reason for accidents.

Police observe traffic week in urban areas to increase public awareness but there is no such programme yet for people living beside the highways.