The number of accidents and loss of life on the unsafe roads in the country are increasing alarmingly due to the reckless driving of the vehicles. The tragic deaths are not being minimizing because of the negligence in implementation of Road Transport Law and the lack of proper looking after.

Besides, there are many other reasons which include vehicles without fitness, reckless driving, physical and mental incapability and incompetency of the drivers, reckless driving of the motor bikers, the tendency of public to not follow the traffic law and disinterest to it, weak traffic management, the lack of capacity of the controlling authority in this sector.

Last decade saw the boom in the development of communication infrastructure. But, the lack of vehicles that suits to these highways and the skillful drivers is immensely observed. Huge number of vehicles is plying on the roads without fitness as if the Bangladesh Road Transport authority (BRTA) hasn’t the capacity to check the fitness of these vehicles.

The government has taken various initiatives to make the roads safer and resist the accidents; however, due to the lack of proper coordination, none of their initiates are becoming fruitful. Hence, the numbers of accidents are increasing each year. Initiative for constructing restrooms for the drivers in long road highways has been taken, but no restroom has been constructed yet for the drivers in the highways. So, in many occasions, the stress and lack of sleep due to long work hour of the drivers contribute to road accident.

The former director of Accident Research Institute of Bangladesh University of Engineering & Technology (BUET), Professor Dr. Md. Hadiuzzaman told The Bangladesh Pratidin, “Despite the increase in road infrastructure, order has not returned over there. As much as the authorities are focused on increasing speed on the roads, there is no such initiative to reduce the risk. To run the vehicles on Expressways, quality transport and skilled drivers are needed. But no one is paying attention to these oversights.

He also said there are reckless vehicles without fitness running in the capital. Accidents are happening due to old buses without accepted level of fitness. Pedestrian-friendly footpaths have not been developed in the capital. The sidewalks are occupied by hawkers. Tragic accidents happen when pedestrians come down the road for movement. Foot-over bridges are being constructed where there is no need of it. Therefore, to restore order on the road, decisions based on scientific research must be strictly implemented.

According to the information of Road Safety Foundation, last year there were 6,829 road accidents in the country. 7, 713 people were killed and 12, 615 people were injured in these accidents. Among them, 319 people were killed, 73 people were injured and 92 people were missing in 197 maritime accidents. 326 people were killed and 113 injured in 354 railway accidents. The Chairman of Road Safety Foundation and Professor of Sociology Department of University of Dhaka, AI Mahbub Uddin Ahmed provided this information. The agency compiled the report based on data from nine national dailies, seven online news portals and electronic media.

According to the report, 3,091 motorcyclists and passengers, 427 bus passengers, 453 truck-pickup-covered van-tractor-trolley-lorry passengers, 268 private car-microbus-ambulance-jeep passengers, 1,248 three-wheeler passengers, 393 locally made vehicles (Nasimon-Bhavati-Alamsadhu-Pakhivan-Chander car-Borak-Mahindra-Tomtom) passengers and 206 bicycle-pedal rickshaws-rickshawvans riders were killed.

Not only on the highways but also in the capital accidents are often seen occurring due to reckless plying of unfitvehicles. People are losing their lives due to reckless movement of buses and minibuses. Frequent stops, violation of traffic rules and chaos are the common picture of public transport in Dhaka. Nothing seemed to control them.

There are 246 bus companies in Dhaka and 10,000 buses are plying on the streets of Dhaka. According to the latest survey conducted by Accident Research Institute (ARI) of BUET, 74 percent of the accidents in cities across the country occur in the capital Dhaka. The company said that most of the accidents are caused by buses. According to the research data of ARI, most of the accidents in Dhaka are due to reckless driving by bus drivers.

Secretary General of Bangladesh Passenger Welfare Association, Mozammel Haque Chowdhury told The Bangladesh Pratidin, “Efficient drivers are needed to advance the transport sector of the country. But the development of drivers has been slow from the very beginning. People who drive today learn by watching their masters. As a result, there is a deficiency in their knowledge about road laws, rules, along with the techniques of driving. They increase the speed when they go to drive the vehicles on the roads. Accidents occur due to lack of knowledge of unfit vehicles and drivers. But there is a lack of overseeing by regulatory agencies and law enforcement agencies. Their negligence in this work is also clearly visible. In this way, it is not

Belal Rizvi, Madaripur representative of The Bangladesh Pratidin said, “The highway express starts from Dhaka's Jatrajaari and ends at Faridpur's Bhanga via Padma Bridge. Accidents are constantly happening on this highway. Last Sunday, 19 people were killed in a high-speed passenger bus accident. Last January, six people were killed in an ambulance accident near Padma bridge toll plaza. Three people were killed in an accident in Shivchar's Charbachamara area. In February, two people, including a Chinese national, were killed in an accident. 40 such accidents occurred in a year.”

Advocate Masud Parvez, President of Madaripur Development Struggle Parishad, said drivers often fall asleep while driving due to long driving time, which causes accident. Cars also run at excessive speed on this highway. So the administration should strictly implement the Road Transport Act.

 Madaripur Superintendent of Police, Masud Alam said it’s true that the car is running at high speed. All vehicles cannot be controlled at all times due to manpower shortage. The maximum speed on this highway is supposed to be 80 km per hour. We have heard that many cars go on in much higher speeds. We are trying to strictly implement the Road Transport Act.

@The report was published in Bengali on print and online versions of The Bangladesh Pratidin on March 21 and rewritten in English by Lutful Hoque