Dilapidated roads are causing immense sufferings to travelers, especially home-bound people ahead of the Eid-ul-Fitr, but ironically it such tumble-down highways that have saved lives for years.
The figures compiled by the Bangladesh Roads Transport Authorty (BRTA) show that the road accidents and the spot deaths have come down since 200 thanks to some preventive measures of the government, poor conditions of the Dhaka-Chittagong and Dhaka-Mymensingh highways and traffic congestion in Dhaka metropolis.
According to the BRTA, 3765 people died in 4,427 road accidents across the country in 2008. Next year, 2,958 people were killed in 3,381 road accidents. In 2010, a total of 2,646 people lost their lives in 2,827 road crashes.
The death toll came down to 2,546 in 2,667 accidents in 2011 and 2,538 people lost their lives in 2,636 accidents in 2012.
In 2013, the reported death toll for the first time plummeted to below 2,000 mark in 2,029 crashes.
Up to June 2014, 1,020 people were killed in 1,000 reported road accidents.
The BRTA gets the accident data from the police headquarters that compiles all accident incidents across the country.
The officials say many of the road accidents are not reported to the police. But the police are sure to record accident data if anyone dies in any accidents, thanks to media and mobile phones.
“Dhaka-Aricha highway was the deadliest as most of the accidents take place in some 11 curves along the busy road. But the government over the years have erected dividers on the highway making it one-way traffic,” Osman Ali, the secretary of the Bangladesh Sarak Poribohon Sramik Federation, told the Dhaka Tribune.
On August 13, 2011, noted film maker Tareque Masud and senior journalist Mishuk Munier died in a road accident round a curve of Dhaka-Aricha highway. One secretary to the government died at another bend on the same highway.
“Besides, the government had 11 bends straighten. So, according to my assessment, 90% of the accidents comparing with that of 2006-07 have been reduced,” said Osman, adding that the deaths of the transport workers had come down by at least 70% (than that of 2006) over the years.
“The condition of the Dhaka-Chittagong and the Dhaka-Mymensingh highways has deteriorated after 2007. On those roads, the vehicles move slow for poor roads and frequent jams,” he said.
Transport workers' leader Shajahan Khan, now shipping minister, said at least 587 accidents took place on the Dhaka-Aricha highway in 2012, before the construction of dividers. Now it has come down to only 92 in 2013.
“Besides, death of Tareque Masud and Mishuk Munier and of one secretary made the people conscious about road safety. Similarly, we gave counseling to the transport workers and drivers to ensure safety of the passengers,” he told the Dhaka Tribune.
The much-discussed road accidents in 2011 made many people turn to the railway, considered as the safest mode of transport.
The government also banned the movement of the Nosimon and Korimon – two locally made motors with shallow machine engine – on the highways. Many fatal accidents take place for Nosimon and Korimon
