Govt negligence, transport owners’ greed behind deaths on roads: speakers
Speakers demanding safe roads yesterday blamed government’s negligence and the intentions of transport owners and drivers to maximise profits for frequent deaths on roads.
Apart from long-term projects, they also urged the government to take adequate measures to ensure safe and smooth journey for homebound people ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr.
The demands came from a human chain under the banner of “Stop death toll on the roads: ensure safe public transportation” in front of Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College Hospital in the capital.
A platform of 27 civil society organisations -- led by Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon (Bapa) -- organised it.
Citing a survey done by the Centre for Injury Prevention and Research Bangladesh, Dr Abdul Matin, general secretary of Bapa, said that around 64 people die in road crashes every day across the country, of whom 14 are children.
Quoting the World Health Organization (WHO), he said around 21,000 people in Bangladesh die every year because of road accidents, and over 34,09,300 people are injured, leaving around 80,000 of them physically disabled.
“It is nothing short of murder, so the transport owners must be brought to book for irregularities in the sector,” he added.
He presented a 17-point demand, including amending the Motor Vehicles Ordinance, 1983; bringing transport owners to justice; removing unfit vehicles from the roads; recruiting drivers who would receive a monthly salary instead of wages; making the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) more transparent and effective and launching a training academy in every district to enhance the skills of drivers.
Speaking as chair, columnist Syed Abul Maksud, vice president of Bapa, claimed that the chaotic situation [on roads] is unprecedented.
He said expecting that the country can be changed in a day would be unrealistic, but the government has to be sincere in proper implementation of law.
“Transport owners backed by an influential group are responsible for the chaos, so the government should implement public-oriented policy to handle irregularities in this sector,” he said.
Former PSC chairman Ekram Ahmed, president of Families United against Road Accidents, urged the government to bring adequate amendments to the vehicle law to control indiscipline.
Prof Abu Sayeed, president of Doctors for Health and Environment, blamed the mismanagement in the road transport sector for bad governance and social injustice in the country. “We want accountability in every sector,” he added.
Among others, representatives from the Department of Environmental Science of Stamford University, Dhaka Jubo Foundation, TaruPallab, Bangladesh Ghuri Foundation, Old Town Citizens’ platform, Work for Green Bangladesh and Bangladesh Jatri Kalyan Samity were also present.
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