A two-day training workshop called ‘Speed is One of the Main Risks of Road Crashes’ ended on Monday at the Chattogram Metropolitan Police (CMP) headquarters.
The workshop was held to improve road safety and help police officers build their skills. Since 2023, the Global Road Safety Partnership (GRSP) has trained around 600 CMP officers as part of the Bloomberg Philanthropies Global Road Safety Programme (BIGRS).
CMP Additional Commissioner (Traffic) Mohammad Asfiquzzaman Akhtar attended the workshop as chief guest. In his address, he stressed the importance of the three globally recognised pillars of road safety – Engineering, Education, and Enforcement.
He said, “While police are primarily responsible for enforcement, it is only one component of road safety. To reduce road fatalities, we must focus on improved road engineering and raise awareness among road users about traffic rules and responsible behaviour.”
A total of 73 police officers, including Traffic Sergeants, Sub-Inspectors, Inspectors, Assistant Police Commissioners and Additional Commissioners, participated in two batches. The sessions were conducted by GRSP Senior Road Policing Advisers Michael Philand and Paul Simcox. Their training covered the dangers of excessive speed, modern speed enforcement techniques, and proper management of roadside checkpoints. They also discussed the critical role of law enforcement in reducing crashes and promoting safe driving behaviour.
Mr Akhtar also led a special session titled ‘Speed Risks in Road Crashes: A National Crisis’, where he addressed the ongoing challenge of high-speed driving in Bangladesh.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic-North) Nesar Uddin Ahmed was present as special guest. At the closing ceremony, Deputy Commissioner (Traffic-West) Niskriti Chakma distributed certificates to the participants.
According to the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA), the maximum speed limit in city corporation areas is currently 40 km/h for general vehicles and 30 km/h for motorcycles.
BIGRS Chattogram Initiative Coordinator Labib Tajwan Utsab, Enforcement Coordinator Kazi Helal Uddin, and Communication Officer Mahamudul Hasan also attended the event, which aimed to reinforce road safety enforcement across the city.
