Road accidents have been a recurring phenomenon in Bangladesh for far too long, and the news of two recent road accidents in Sylhet and Chittagong is yet another gruesome reminder that our roads are still far from safe.
A truck and pick-up collision on the Sylhet-Dhaka highway on Wednesday, and a crash between a wagon and a truck in Chittagong city the very next day, have claimed multiple lives and left even more severely injured.
The harshest pill to swallow, perhaps, is that incidents as such are far from unusual in our country; the total number of road accidents in 2022 was the highest in eight years, devastating thousands of lives, and the data from this year does not imply an improved state.
How much higher must the numbers go before we recognize the gravity of the situation?
Disorder on the road combined with a complete disregard for safety guidelines have led to our roads becoming a dangerous place for all. But most of all, a lack of accountability for those involved has undoubtedly encouraged a culture of recklessness and indifference to prevail.
It cannot be reiterated enough: Our progress means nothing at the end of the day if the very people breaking their backs to push us forward are not guaranteed the safety they indisputably deserve.
It is high time that drastic measures are taken by the authorities. A sweeping change must be made to our roads; vehicles and their drivers must be deemed fit to operate, and anyone breaking the rules must be punished accordingly.
Road safety cannot remain an afterthought, especially not when millions of lives depend on it.