People losing lives on the roads

The relentless deaths on city roads appear to have no effect on the authorities when it comes to ensuring safety. Only yesterday, this paper carried a news item that portrayed the tragic death of a 10-year-old girl who was the victim of a hit-and-run incident on Uttara road. On the same day, a bus driver lost control of his vehicle and ploughed down two people when it went over a pavement. Every day we are confronted with news like these in our capital city and many parts in the country, and the only thing we hear from the authorities are empty, hollow promises—that the culprits will be brought to justice!

The public outcry for safer roads that exploded in anger after the death of two college students in the capital city's Kurmitola area had prompted thousands of students to come out in protests. The protests had been sparked by careless remarks of a powerful minister in government who also presided over a powerful federation of transport workers. He is no longer part of the cabinet and we, along with the families of those who have lost their precious ones in road accidents, would like to know precisely what is holding up steps to bring order out of the chaos that rule supreme on our roads.

Why can't these licensed killers, driving unfit vehicles, be brought to face justice for their recklessness that is costing lives every day? How many more children and grown-ups must die to move our leaders to action? Rash driving cannot be condoned, and the State cannot be held for ransom to unjustified demands of the transport workers when the safety of millions of city residents is at stake.