Speakers at a discussion on Wednesday demanded enactment of road safety law to ensure the safety of pedestrians and cyclists as 27 percent hospitalised road crash victims are pedestrians, and cyclists.
According to a recent study, 22.8% of hospitalised road crash victims are pedestrians, and 4.2% are cyclists. On average, pedestrians and cyclists require 11 and 9 days of hospital treatment respectively, with an average treatment cost of TK 27,532 and TK 18,952 per patient.
This information was shared at a discussion meeting held at the BRTA headquarters in Dhaka to mark UN Global Road Safety Week 2025. The event was organized by the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) in collaboration with the National Heart Foundation Hospital and Research Institute.
The meeting was chaired by BRTA Chairman (Grade–1) Md Yasin. The welcome address was delivered by Shitangshu Shekhar Biswas, Director of BRTA’s Road Safety Wing. The keynote presentation was given by Mohammad Wali Noman, Project Manager of the Road Safety and Injury Prevention Programme at the National Heart Foundation.
In the keynote, it was highlighted that road crashes are among the leading causes of death and disability worldwide. Every year, around 1.2 million people die and nearly 50 million are injured in road crashes. For individuals aged 5 to 29, road crashes are the leading cause of death.
According to the data of World Health Organization (WHO), between 2010 and 2021, the global pedestrian fatality rate increased by 3%, while cyclist fatalities rose by 20%. Alarmingly, 80% of roads worldwide lack basic pedestrian safety infrastructure, and only 0.2% of roads have dedicated bicycle lanes.
To reduce fatal crashes and enhance safety, the keynote emphasised the effectiveness of the Safe System Approach. In Europe, the implementation of this approach has led to a 36% reduction in road crash deaths. In Sweden, for example, the road fatality rate is as low as 2.8 per 100,000 population.
Professor Khondkar Abdul Awal Rizvi, president of the National Heart Foundation of Bangladesh said setting speed limits in urban areas is essential to reduce fatal crashes. To protect vulnerable road users, infrastructural improvements, speed management, awareness campaigns, and proper legislation are urgently needed
Saying that ensuring road safety requires collective effort from all stakeholders, the BRTA chairman said BRTA has already issued the 'Motor Vehicle Speed Limit Guideline 2024' and will take effective steps towards enacting a Road Safety Law.”
Other notable attendees included Md. Shariful Alam, country coordinator of the Global Health Advocacy Incubator; Professor Sohel Reza Choudhury, head of the Epidemiology and Research Department at the National Heart Foundation Hospital; DIG Shariful Islam of the Highway Police; and representatives from various government and non-government institutions.
This year’s UN Road Safety Week, observed worldwide under the initiative of the United Nations, is themed: “Safe Streets for Pedestrians and Cyclists.”
