Roads remain dangerous

Yet again, blood was spilled on the roads. And yet again, there were unfortunate deaths and injuries thanks to unruly driving. According to a report by The Daily Star on Saturday, eleven people died in road accidents in different parts of the country within the space of a day. In some cases, the victims were run over by speeding vehicles. In other cases, they died in head-on collisions between oncoming buses and other motorised vehicles. These deaths add to a mounting body count from crashes on Bangladesh's notorious roads and highways that have persistently defied attempts to make them safe. Clearly, the ministry of road transport and bridges has a lot to answer for, and a lot of soul-searching to do given the huge responsibility it has been entrusted with. All its pledges and policy-making—and frantic wrangling with the transport associations to make them accountable—have basically brought us nowhere.

So, the question that needs to be asked is, is the ministry doing enough? Put another way, is it really sincere about bringing discipline in the chaotic road transport sector? And why is the ministry silent on these deaths? In the past year, since last year's road safety movement, there has been no significant development indicative of a genuine shift in how the ministry and its divisions in charge of road safety operate. It's still business-as-usual for them: unfit vehicles continue to be in operation; unlicensed and even underage drivers continue to drive public transports; transport workers and owners continue to enjoy immunity; the body count continues to mount up. Whatever change has been there didn't result in a satisfying outcome. This cannot go on, however. With another Eid festival approaching, which is usually when the highest number of road casualties occur, the government must do all that is necessary to ensure safety for the commuters and pedestrians.