The current safety status of Bangladeshi roads is tantamount to a national emergency that not only threatens our lives, but also compromises our economy and development.
Just two days ago, a mother of two lost her life while taking her daughters home from School in Mirpur. And this is not an isolated case. News like this appears at least a few times a week, if not every day.
The authorities concerned need to get serious when it comes to the safety of roads, of that there is no doubt. To that end, that the World Bank recently approved $358 million in financing to help Bangladesh improve road safety and reduce fatalities comes as a ray of hope.
The project will be a comprehensive road safety measure on two national highways-N4 (Gazipur-Elenga) and N6 (Natore-Nawabganj). It also includes improved engineering designs on the roads, adequate signs and markings, pedestrian facilities, speed enforcement, and emergency care.
In keeping with the digital ambitions of the authorities, the project will also help modernize the capacity of traffic police by installing a combination of automated enforcement systems, such as CCTVs and electronic messaging systems. This will hopefully contribute to the improvement of post-crash care, which is not only critical for saving lives but is also necessary for bringing culprits for justice.
The administration would do well to make full use of this fund. It has to be handled properly and timely measures have to be taken so that the safety of roads improves. Audits must be undertaken from time to time to figure out what works and what doesn’t.
On the other hand, we also need to improve our judiciary system. A lot of culprits that cause these accidents get off easy, which is contributing to a culture of impunity that leads to road accidents. No matter what we do, if this is something that is not incorporated, we cannot expect to go very far.
Enough blood has been spilled on our roads. Let this be our way out.