Law enforcement must to ensure safe roads

National unity is crucial to formulation of appropriate laws and their implementation for road safety as well as curbing irregularities in this sector, said Nirapad Sarak Chai Chairman Ilias Kanchan yesterday.

Addressing a press conference he said, “Unwillingness of the politicians over road accidents makes me worried. We often observe that the politicians called for national unity on different issues. But we do not know what their thinking about road accidents is?”

“If the issue is included in their election manifesto, the number of road accident will be reduced,” he said.

Ilias held the press conference at Dhaka Reporters Unity to announce programmes to observe “Jatiya Nirapad Sarak Dibas” tomorrow.

He said he along with some experts and World Health Organization placed some suggestions, including increase in the punishment for the accused drivers and compensation for the victims, to Bangladesh Road Transport Authority and officials concerned in different ministries in February.

The government ensured them that they would let them know whether they accept the suggestions, he said, adding that there has been no response to it for seven months.

He, however, heard from different sources that BRTA and the ministries concerned have proposed to bring changes to the existing laws which will be placed soon in the cabinet, said Illias.

The speakers said when different organisations made a call for stern actions against the accused transport workers, the political leaders stay mum.

Rather, in some cases, they talked in favour of them, they added.

Nirapad Sarak Chai will march from the capital's Shilpakala Academy to Shaheed Minar around 10:30am tomorrow, marking the day.