A total of 9,951 people were killed and 12,356 others injured in 6,749 road, railway and waterway accidents across the country in 2022, said Bangladesh Passengers' Welfare Association on Monday. It must be mentioned that this is the highest figure in the last 8 years. According to the report, deaths in road crashes saw a rise by 27.43 percent in 2022 than that of 2021.
Experts are of the opinion that reckless driving, risky overtaking, dilapidated roads, unfit vehicles, unskilled drivers, using mobile phones or headphones while driving and lack of awareness among road users are the main reasons behind road crashes.
Almost every day we are bombarded with reports of horrendous road accidents, deaths and injuries. Every time the gravity of road safety issues gets intensified when any student dies of road accident. After every incident of road crash we hear pledges from the BRTA, police, and other transport authorities. But all fade away with the passage of time, which is why the procession of deaths on the roads never stops.
We should devise immediate
measures to improve the
current road safety issues
Allegedly, a number of unscrupulous BRTA officials provide licence to the unskilled drivers and fitness certificates to the unfit vehicles without any test. As a result, a large number of unskilled drivers get chance to ply their vehicles on roads illegally. When the authorities concerned cannot maintain integrity in terms of giving certificates to drivers and vehicles, it is not pragmatic indeed to expect those drivers who buy licence through unfair means will maintain discipline on the roads.
Too many lives are being lost on our roads every day, and it’s time the government put all-out efforts to bring some order to the roads. Many bus owners recruit drivers considering personal relationship and recommendations of known people without properly examining their driving skill. This practice must be stopped.
It is high time that Bangladesh took stern actions against reckless driving. Also, in order to ensure road safety for all, the design and quality of the roads and highways must be improved; unfit vehicles should not be allowed on the roads and campaigns must be conducted to raise awareness of traffic rules. We should devise immediate measures to improve the current road safety issues. Transport owners should scrutinise the driving skill of the drivers before recruiting. Last but not the least, the government should take more severe steps in ensuring punishment of the drivers who do not follow the traffic rules
