The Gopalgonj Bazaar area along the Dinajpur-Dashmile highway has become a lethal "black spot," with three recorded fatalities pointing to severe safety failures and an alarming fatality-to-injury ratio that suggests collisions here are often extreme and immediately fatal.
An analysis of the incidents reveals a deeply concerning pattern. The high proportion of deaths compared to recorded injuries indicates that crashes at this location are of a particularly violent nature. The primary victims have been motorcyclists and local pedestrians, highlighting the vulnerability of residents who must navigate this dangerous corridor for daily needs.
The majority of these accidents are attributed to unidentified heavy vehicles, such as speeding trucks and buses. The core problem lies in the unchecked mixing of high-speed highway traffic with the slow-moving local traffic accessing the market, all in an area devoid of effective speed control measures.
The timeline of tragedies includes Nazmul Islam (35), who died in a road accident on August 19, 2025, at around 7:30 PM, and Francis Mrmu, who lost his life on the same road on August 9, 2023.
Analysts note that while accidents may be more frequent during the day, those occurring at night tend to be more severe. The combination of poor lighting around the market and high speed creates a perfect storm for deadly incidents. Furthermore, the true scale of the crisis remains unclear, as the exact number of injured in several major accidents is unconfirmed, suggesting the human cost is significantly higher than official figures indicate.
Despite repeated loss of life, ongoing mobile court drives by local authorities and regulatory bodies like the BRTA and police have failed to address the fundamental need for permanent speed control and traffic engineering solutions at this critical junction.
Expert Recommendations: Officially declare Gopalgonj Bazaar a "Black Spot" to unlock emergency funds, Implement a strict 40 km/h speed limit 500 meters before the market, supported by rumble strips and speed cameras, Construct physical barriers (guard rails) to separate local market traffic from through-highway traffic, Install high-resolution CCTV cameras on the highway to monitor speed and identify violators,
Local residents express fear daily. One of them said. "Our homes are on the other side of the road and crossing the road to get to the market feels impossible, especially with buses and trucks speeding by. It's terrifying."
Expressing the same view some other people opined that without urgent and concrete intervention from the authorities, the road near Gopalgonj Bazaar will continue to be one of the most deadly traps in the Dinajpur district.
