"Mom, why won't dad open his eyes? When will we go home?”
The child's mother has no answer. On Sunday morning, the bus carrying the child's father fell into a ditch at Madaripur's Shibchar. They had come to identify the body after receiving the tragic news.
Mushtaq Ahmed's wife Jonaki Begum was also distraught after losing the only earner in the family in the same accident. Surbhi Alam Sweety, a second-year student at the English Department of Dhaka University (DU), is also among the 20 dead.
Doctors said several of the injured are critically injured, and the number of casualties may increase.
The list of dead and injured in road accidents in Bangladesh is getting longer every day. In 2022, 1,506 bus accidents killed 427 people, with 41% of these accidents occurring on regional roads and 32% on highways, according to the Road Safety Foundation. The information was disclosed at the “Road Safety Reporting” seminar organized by National Institute of Mass Communication (NIMC) collaboration with WHO and AIBD at Dhaka.
Experts stressed the need for proper implementation of road safety laws, training of vehicle drivers and strict monitoring of licences in order to put a check on road accidents.
Dhaka TribuneAccording to Road Safety Foundation data from 1994 to 2022, the year 2022 saw the highest number of road accidents in the country. A total of 6,829 road accidents occurred in 2022, leading to 7,713 deaths and 12,615 injuries.
As much as 42% of the incidents were caused by brake failure, and 73% of these accidents occurred on highways and regional roads in and around Dhaka.
According to Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) data, the number of road accidents in 2022 was 5089, with 4,636 deaths and 4,444 injuries.
According to WHO data, the most affected in road accidents are people aged 5-29 years old. Students make up a large part of the victims, with 1,237 students killed in road accidents in 2022.
The economic damage from road accidents is also substantial.
Most road accidents involve motorcycles, three-wheelers
Motorcycles and three-wheelers have proven to be the most dangerous vehicles. According to the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA), more than four million motorcycles and 3.3 million three-wheelers have been licensed in Bangladesh, so far.
According to the Road Safety Foundation, 3,091 people were killed in 3,246 accidents involving motorcycles and three-wheelers in 2022. Altogether 1889 people were killed in 1,248 accidents involving all types of three-wheeler vehicles.
Auto-rickshaw collides with the truck lead to death of 5 people BSSEarlier, the Jatri Kallyan Samiti claimed that 9,951 people died in 6,749 road accidents in the country in 2022. The organization said that 12,356 people were injured in these accidents, and that 2022 had the highest number of road deaths in 8 years.
RFS: Four causes of road accidents
Chairman of Road Safety Foundation and Professor of Sociology Department of Dhaka University A I Mahbub Uddin Ahmed believes that the main factors behind road accidents in Bangladesh are drivers, roads, vehicles, and management factors.
Unfit vehicles, unskilled and incompetent drivers, unsettled wages and working hours, The tendency of violating traffic rules & regulations among road users, underage drivers, alcohol use by drivers, seatbelts not being used, fatigue, reckless driving, and risky movement of motorcycles and three-wheelers on highways were identified as driver-related factors.
Road-related factors mainly involve a lack of maintenance of roadways. At least 60% of highways are in dilapidated condition with a lack of roadside safety devices and barriers, and some also include risky curves and turns.
Management factors include traffic management issues, non-enforcement of road rules, lack of efficiency and capacity of the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA), and lack of technology to control vehicle speed.
These problems have been observed for years, but solutions are yet to be found. There is institutional weakness, lack of professional capacity and expertise, resource constraints, poor policy, and inadequate coordination between related agencies, according to the Road Safety Foundation.
How to control road accidents
Chairman of Road Safety Foundation and Professor of Sociology Department of Dhaka University A I Mahbub Uddin Ahmed said: “To bring the road accidents under control, the government should take appropriate initiatives. Proper implementation of road safety laws should be ensured. Simultaneously Adoption of National Land Transport Policy (NLTP) 2004 by the Planning Commission of Bangladesh, Preparation of Safety Manual, Hand Book and Guidelines Establishment of Road Safety Cell and District Road Safety Committee, Approval of Speed Limit Zoning and Speed Restriction Rules Preparation of National Road Safety Strategic Action Plans, Training of Road Safety Professionals Safety Awareness and Training, Implementation of Road Safety Audit, Geometric Improvement of Road, Procurement of Safety Equipment and Logistics are all needed.”
BRTA Director (Road Safety) SK Mohammad Mahbub-E-Rabbani said: "BRTA is working hard to avoid road accidents. Last year, 13,000 cases were filled over unlicensed vehicles on roads and highways, not having driving license, and Tk4 crore in fines was collected from these cases. How much more will be done? Drivers must be more aware."
Dhaka Tribune"The National Road Safety Strategic Action Plan (2021-2024) has been prepared to ensure road management, planning, driver training, testing and vehicle safety. 21 different organizations, including government, private and NGOs are involved in this plan. Apart from this, committees have been formed in police, metropolitan city, district, upazila. 4 Committees have also been constituted by the Task Force to strengthen discipline and control accidents in the Government transport sector," he added.
"Apart from this, BRTA has a committee with an inspector for issuing vehicle licences. We are trying our best to prevent road accidents. However, to bring this road accident under control, the owners, drivers and public must work together," he further said.
BUET Accident Research Institute (ARI) Prof Mohammad Mahbub Alam Talukder said: "There is a mess in the road safety system. If it continues like this, it will not improve even in the next 50 years. If we want a solution then we need to ensure fitness before issuing license to vehicles on the road, ensure competent drivers and issue driving license. Speed control of vehicles should be done on roads and highways. District-wise supervision should be increased on regional roads."
“It is not possible to solve this problem alone. All government departments, media, and non-governmental organizations have to work together,” he added.
Mohammad Abu Sadique, seminar Director and Focal point to AIBD, said :" The death rate from road accidents is higher than death from Covid-19."
He also said that cultural adaptation, social motivation, and a research-based master plan can ensure safe roads.
UNB Advisory Editor Farid Hossain emphasized increasing reporting and training of journalists on accidents.
Photo shows police towing away the car damaged in the accident in Faridpur on Thursday, December 29, 2022 Dhaka Tribune"Newspapers, electronic media should publish more investigative news, including the reasons behind road accidents. This will increase awareness and make it easier to take emergency action," he said.
Nabeel Tirmiji, program manager of Asia-Pacific Institute for Broadcasting Development (AIBD) said: "There is no alternative to increasing awareness including ensuring vehicle fitness and efficient drivers to control road accidents. For this more media coverage and other publicity campaigns should be increased."
Minister of Information and Broadcasting. Hasan Mahmud said: "To stop road accidents, we all need joint efforts and coordinated initiatives including vehicle owners, drivers, workers, law enforcers. At the same time, televisions should promote awareness advertisements on their own initiative. There are so many talk shows about politics, talk shows about road safety too. There needs to be, there needs to be good reporting.”
Director General of National Institute of Media (NIMC) Faizul Haque said: "An accident kills one but the entire family is destitute. Along with ensuring road laws and safe vehicular movement, we must also be aware of ourselves."