The easy-bike was heading towards Paikgacha. As the vehicle reached Dumuria upazila's Chuknagar, a speeding bus of Shamim Enterprise crashed into the easy-bike.

The deceased were identified as easy-bike driver Yunus Ali (35) and 40-year-old passengers Habibur Rahman, and Rajibul Islam, police said. "The rashly-driven bus killed them on the spot."

On information, Dumuria Fire Service and Chuknagar Highway Police rushed to the spot.

"As the Dhaka-bound Shamim Enterprise's driver was running the bus recklessly, he could not control the speed when it came across the easy-bike," Nasir Uddin, in-charge of Chuknagar Highway Police Outpost, said.

Also read: Also read: Taskforce formed to ensure road safety: Minister

"After the rescue, we sent the bodies to Khulna Medical College Hospital," Tanvir Hasan, in-charge of Dumuria Fire Service, said.

484 killed in road crashes in January

At least 484 people were killed and 673 injured in 427 road accidents throughout the country in January this year.

The rate of accident rose 25.58% and fatalities 8.76% compared to the same period of last year, according to Road Safety Foundation (RSF).

At least 445 lives were lost in 340 road accidents in January last year, said RSF.

Between January 1 and January 31 of this year, 168 people were killed in 159 motorcycle accidents – 37.23% of total road accidents.

Also read: Road crashes killed 484 in Jan 2021

And 53 drivers and helpers were killed during the same period of this year – 10.95% of total fatalities.

And 153 accidents – 35.83% – occurred on highways, 107 – 25.05% – took place on regional roads, and 11 – 2.57% – on other roads.

Also, the highest number of accidents took place in Dhaka division and the lowest in Sylhet division.

Unfit vehicles, reckless driving, and disregard for traffic rules were among the reasons behind the accidents.

Also, 5,227 people died on Bangladeshi roads in 4,702 accidents in 2019, said Nirapad Sarak Chai.

Also read: People not aware yet about road safety, says PM

The World Bank report "Delivering Road Safety in Bangladesh," published in February 2020, said: "The country needs to invest an estimated extra $7.8 billion over the next decade to halve its road crash fatalities."

"The high death rate on Bangladesh's roads is caused by a chronic lack of investment in systemic, targeted, and sustained road safety programmes," it said.

The annual road crash deaths per capita in Bangladesh are twice the average rate for high-income countries and five times that of the best-performing countries in the world, it added.

Children and the working-age population were most affected by road crash injuries in Bangladesh, the World Bank report said.