Raise awareness, follow traffic laws

The Bangladesh Road Transport Authority has emphasised on raising awareness and following traffic laws to ensure road safety, as the country prepares to observe National Road Safety Day on October 22.

"At least 12 to 15 people are getting killed every day... We have to ensure road safety and to do so we all have to follow traffic laws," said BRTA Chairman Nur Mohammad Mazumder.

The comments came during a press briefing at the BRTA headquarters, ahead of National Road Safety Day.

Mazumder said everybody -- transport owners, workers and road users -- have to be aware and follow traffic rules, otherwise it would not be possible to ensure road safety.

If we want to enforce traffic rules strictly, only in Dhaka city, it will require 100 magistrates. But we only have five to six magistrates...

— Nur Mohammad Mazumder BRTA Chairman

"If we want to enforce traffic rules strictly, only in Dhaka city, it will require 100 magistrates. But we only have five to six magistrates... so, ensuring road safety is not possible unless we can create a social movement," he said.

Besides, mobile courts are taking action against fitness defaulter vehicles.

The BRTA chairman also said they have chalked out a series of programmes -- including rallies, processions and campaigns -- to create awareness.