Road crashes on rise alarmingly
It is deeply concerning that the number of road accidents across the country have increased alarmingly, claiming many lives every day.
According to a newspaper report published yesterday, quoting a data gathered by Bangladesh Jatri Kalyan Samity, at least 86,690 people were killed and 153,257 injured in 62,619 road crashes over the last 11 years.
This means, on average, 22 people lost their lives and 38 were injured on the roads regularly during this period.
The samity in a survey in 2024 recorded that 8,583 that people were killed and 12,608 injured in 6,259 crashes.
It also claimed that the Road Transport Act-2018 failed to address road crashes, congestion, indiscipline in the sector, as the voices of passengers and civil society had been ignored in the formation of law Citing a World Bank estimate, the organisation also said that unbearable traffic congestion in the capital alone leads to a daily loss of 3.2 million working hours, amounting to an annual economic loss of Tk 98,000 crore.
On the other hand, health experts warned that beyond financial losses, long hours in traffic take a serious toll on physical and mental health.
Against this backdrop, it urged political parties contesting the upcoming national election to include concrete plans to reduce traffic congestion and curb the yearly loss of thousands of lives on the roads through the introduction of modern public transport in their manifestos.
The majority of road accidents in the capital city are the result of speeding on the part of bus drivers, individuals who are incentivized by their employers to be as reckless as possible on the road for their own greed.
It is high time that the administration took control of the situation and made meaningful progress towards ending the cycle of death and destruction from road accidents.
To curb this alarming trend, the government must take decisive actions. Strict enforcement of traffic rules is essential to deter reckless driving. Unfit vehicles should be removed from the roads, and only trained and licensed drivers should be employed.
Besides, public awareness campaigns are needed to educate citizens on the importance of using foot over bridges, sidewalks, and adhering to traffic rules and regulation.
n Assoc. Professor at the Department of Statistics, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University, Bangladesh. Email: [email protected]