Build integrated rail link to cut road crashes

Paribesh Bachao Andolon (Poba) froms a human chain in front of the National Press Club in the city yesterday demanding an integrated rail communication system in order to reduce road accidents. Photo: STAR

Speakers at a human chain programme yesterday called for building integrated rail communication system in the country in order to reduce road accidents as well as reducing transportation costs and environmental pollution.
Apart from developing rail centric communication system, improving waterways system and incorporating roads with rail and waterways are also imperative to ensure transportation to the country's ever-increasing population, they said.
Paribesh Bachao Andolon (Poba) organised the programme in front of National Press Club demanding rail-centric communication system in the country to stop loss of lives caused by road accidents.
Speakers added that around 55,000 people were killed in road accidents in the last 15 years and thousands of crores of taka have been spent to modernise road communication during the same period.
The campaigners said the railway system was a comfortable and safe mode of transport but has been destroyed in the name of development.
Road communication is still being given top priority over rail despite increase in road accidents every year due to reckless driving, poor implementation of law and absence of proper driving policies, they said.
They pointed out that manpower in rail communication was not increased during the previous years rather trips of many long route trains were downsized.
POBA also came up with some recommendations including formation of a separate ministry for rail and ensuring people's participation in the master plan of rail communication.