Mass awareness stressed to ensure road safety
Natore Correspondent :
The National Road Safety Day was observed in Natore on Saturday.
On the occasion, a colorful rally was brought out from old stadium which paraded the important streets and ended deputy commissioner’s office this morning.
After the rally, a discussion meeting was held on the occasion at the Conference Room of Deputy Commissioner .
With DC Shamim Ahmed in the chair, the meeting was addressed, among others, by assistant director of Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) Md. Rasheduzzaman, deputy divisional engineer of Roads and Highways Department Abdul Mannaf Akand, crime inspector Zia Latiful, president of Natore Press Club Faraji Ahmad Rafiq Baban and president of safe roads, Natore Golam Mostafa, among others, spoke it.
Sr.Staff Reporter from Kishoreganj reports: The National Road Safety Day was observed in the country on Saturday in a befitting manner.
This year’s theme of the day was ” let us follow the law on road and return home safely”.
In Kishoreganj, Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA), Roads and Highway (RHD), Nirapod Shark Chai including District Administration arranged various programmes likes l rally, discussion, awareness campaign, handbills distribution and postering marking the National Road Safety day on Saturday.
A discussion meeting was held atCollectorate Conference Room on Saturday. DC in Kishoreganj Mohammad Shamim Alam attended as chief guest and Police Super( SP) Mohammad Rasel Sheikh PPM (Bar) and RHD Executive Engineer Ritish Bourua were special guests, while ADM Farhad Chowdhury presided over the programme.
It was addressed among others by, BRTA Assistant Director (AD) Engineer Md. Bakthiruddin, Dr.Mahabubur Rahman of Civil Surgeon Office, CAB district president Senior Journalist Alam Sarowar Tito, Transport Owners Association president Helaluddin Manik, Rulling Awami League (AL) district leader Badal Rahman, Senior Journalist Saiful Haque Mollah Dulu, District Press Club president Mostafa Kamal, Nirapad Sarak Chai district president Md.Ferojuddin and Transport workers leader Zahirul Islam.
DC Mohammad Shamim Alam said, the number of vehicles on streets is rapidly increasing with the increase of developed road infrastructure in Bangladesh.
Road accidents and loss of life and property happen due to various reasons including competition of drivers, reckless overtaking, inefficiency in driving, overloading, lack of adequate rest for drivers, not obeying traffic laws by pedestrians and social unawareness, DC added.
SP Mohammad Rasel Sheikh PPM (Bar) said the government is carrying out activities aimed at repairing, renovating and maintaining, developing and expanding the highway network and building an integrated modern public transport system.
He also said, legal action is begin taken against the prohibited vehicles every day. There are cases every day Regular miking is also being done to prevent easy-bikes and other prohibited vehicles from playing on the road. However, Police campaign continues to stop road accidents and District police fined vehicles Tk 40 lack with in last 52 days.
Senior Journalist Alam Sarowar Tito urged all to come forward in creating mass awareness to prevent road accidents and create a culture of obeying traffic laws in the country.
BSS from Rajshah adds: Massive public awareness, regular training for drivers and others concerned besides necessary infrastructure are the prime prerequisites for preventing road accidents that cause huge loss of lives and properties every year.
There is no alternative to raising awareness among the public in general to prevent road accidents which is a matter of grave concern.
Administrative officials and other stakeholders came up with the observation while addressing a post-rally discussion to mark the observation of National Road Safety Day on Saturday.
Rajshahi Circle of Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) and District administration jointly hosted the meeting at the office conference hall of Deputy Commissioner.
This year’s theme of the day is ‘Ain Meney Sorokey Choli, Nirapodey Ghorey Phiri (Let us follow the law on the road and return home safely”.
Deputy Commissioner (Traffic) of Rajshahi Metropolitan Police Aniirban Chakma, Additional Superintendent of Police Abu Saleh Ashraful Alam and BRTA Director Sheikh Ashraqur Rahman addressed the discussion as resource persons disseminating their expertise on the issue with Additional District Magistrate Sabiha Sultana in the chair.
Executive Engineer of Local Government Engineering Department Nasir Uddin, Executive Engineer of Road Division Abdul Hakim, BRTA Deputy Director Kamrul Hassan, local unit president of Nirapad Sarak Chai Advocate Towfique Ahsan, Editor of Daily Sonali Sangbad Liakat Ali and President of Rajshahi Press Club Saidur Rahman also spoke on the occasion.
The discussants unequivocally called for strict enforcement of traffic rules to reduce road accidents.
If the drivers drive their vehicles carefully the existing number of road accidents could be reduced to a greater extent.
Aniirban Chakma told the meeting that the government has taken initiative to establish training institutes in each district to bring the drivers under training and refreshers training round the year.
Step has also been taken to incorporate the issue of road accidents and its causes and prevention in the course-curriculum besides other various programmes to reduce the country’s road accidents by 50 percent within the next 15 years, he added.
BRTA Assistant Director Engineer Abdul Khaleque said the country experienced over 5,472 road accidents last year that claimed over 5,000 lives and injured 9,339 people.
Around 150 persons comprising government officials, human right activists, leaders of road transport workers and representatives of transport owners associations were present at the meeting.
Earlier, they brought out a rally on the collectorate building premises carrying banners and festoons to create awareness among the public in general about road accidents.
