Developing rail, waterways an effective solution

Giving priority to rail and waterways development can be an effective solution to stop road accidents, said Poribesh Bachao Andolon (Poba), an environmental advocacy group, yesterday at a programme.

Poba organised the discussion titled “Deaths and Anarchy on Road: Reasons and Solutions” at its main office in Dhaka.

Presiding over the programme, Poba Chairman Abu Naser Khan said ensuring road safety is impossible without ensuring proper traffic and transport management.

He alleged that road-based communication system has crippled the entire transport system.

The main discussant at the programme, Shahidul Alam, convenor of Poba's team for Safe Roads Movement, said training should be imparted to those who work in roads and highways as well as the drivers.

Urging to amend the acts regarding road safety, he said, “We are still following the act passed in 1983 in this sector, where provision of compensation is Tk 20,000 only.”

Proper urban planning, traffic management, ensuring vehicles' fitness and road fitness are necessary, said Shahidul Alam. He also stressed on the need for creating separate lanes and establishing bus bays.

The government can also use public service broadcast system to create awareness, while traffic rules, regulations and discipline should be included in education syllabus, he added.

Dr Ahmad Kamruzzaman Majumder, professor and chairman of Department of Environmental Science at Stamford University, said Bangladesh's weather is also responsible for road accidents.

Referring to his research data, the professor said most of the accidents occur between May and July, the months of pre-monsoon and monsoon season.

From 2013 to 2017, at least 1,299 road accidents occurred in May killing 1,885 people -- the highest for any month in those years, he said. He also suggested avoiding dependency on traffic police in rough weather and to build up digital camera controlled monitoring system to manage traffic.

Poba Secretary Shamim Khan Tito also spoke.