‘Road safety law’ urgent to achieve SDG targets
Staff Reporter :
“According to SDG targets 3.6 and 11.2, the rate of deaths and injuries in road accidents must be halved.
To achieve this, a comprehensive road safety law is essential,” stated experts during a media discussion titled “Role of the Media in Strengthening Safe Roads.”
The event was organized by the Dhaka Ahsania Mission Health Sector and held in Dhanmondi on Sunday night.
During the discussion, speakers emphasized that to reduce the number of deaths and injuries from road crashes in line with the Sustainable Development Goals and the United Nations Global Plan, Bangladesh must significantly decrease preventable road accidents.
“This requires strong policies and robust legal frameworks,” they noted. Despite the current enforcement of the Road Transport Act 2018 and the Road Transport Rules 2022, there has been little progress in enhancing the road safety system.
The event was chaired by Iqbal Masud, Director of the Dhaka Ahsania Mission Health and WASH Sector, and moderated by Shuvro Deb, Senior Reporter of Dainik Manabzamin.
It was attended by Global Road Safety Advocacy and Grants Program Manager Taifur Rahman, Global Health Advocacy Incubator Country Coordinator Dr. Shariful Alam, Mainul Hasan Sohel, General Secretary of Dhaka Reporters Unity, Abu Rushd Md. Ruhul Amin, Senior News Editor of Banglavision, and Shahnaz Sharmin, Special Correspondent of Ekattor Television.
Global Road Safety Advocacy and Grants Program Manager Taifur Rahman discussed the Safe System Approach and highlighted the shortcomings of the current road safety legislation.
“A road safety law is needed in light of the Safe System because there is currently no comprehensive law addressing road safety in our country.
We need a law that ensures safe road infrastructure, safe vehicles, and the overall safety of road users,” he said.
Dr. Shariful Alam further urged the government to enact and properly implement a robust road safety law.
“Safe roads are a fundamental right for everyone, and it is the government’s responsibility to ensure that right,” he remarked.
He added, “The Bangladesh government needs to enact a comprehensive road safety law based on the UN’s recommended Safe System Approach to reduce the number of deaths and injuries in road crashes and to implement the UN’s global plan for road safety.”
The discussion underscored the urgent need for legislative action to improve road safety and meet the Sustainable Development Goals, calling on government authorities to prioritize this critical issue.