The World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims 2024 will be observed in Bangladesh as elsewhere in the world today (Sunday) in memory of those injured or killed in road crashes.
It is a global event dedicated to honouring the millions of lives lost or severely affected by road crashes. This day also highlights the suffering of victims and their families, while advocating for stronger action to prevent road crashes and their consequences.
Thousands of people lose their lives in road crashes with the death toll growing year by year.
The theme of this year’s ‘World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims 2024’ is `Remember. Support. Act.’
To mark the day, a discussion will be held at the auditorium of Dhaka North City Corporation in the capital city of Bangladesh. Experts on road safety and road traffic victims will take part in the discussion.
Aminul Islam Sujon, technical adviser at Vital Strategies; confirmed the matter to The Bangladesh Post.
The World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims takes place on the third Sunday in November every year. It was started by the British road crash victim charity, RoadPeace, in 1993 and was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 2005.
In a message marking the day, United Nations secretary-general Antonio Guterres said, ‘We honour the 1.19 million lives lost every year on the world’s roads. Each death represents a profound tragedy for families, communities, and societies.’
He said, Guided by the Global Plan for the Decade of Action for Road Safety, the United Nations is supporting countries in saving lives. Critical frameworks provided by United Nations Road Safety Conventions – supported by the advocacy of my Special Envoy for Road Safety and funding from the UN Road Safety Fund – help show that coordinated efforts can make a difference.
Recent data from the World Health Organization (WHO) highlights progress in reducing road traffic fatalities, but our journey to reduce road traffic deaths by half by 2030 is far from over.
Antonio Guterres said, “By improving infrastructure, enforcing safety laws, strengthening international partnerships and promoting responsible behaviour, we can prevent future deaths and make roads safer for everyone, everywhere.”
“Together, let us build a future where every journey ends safely,” he said.
