Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner Sheikh Md Sajjat Ali on Monday emphasized the need to involve traffic police in road accident investigations.
"In the event of an accident, the investigation should be conducted using scientific methods, and the police's capabilities in this regard need to be improved. Though the police are responsible for the roads, the crime division currently conducts investigations into road crashes. It is necessary to involve traffic police in such investigations or coordinate with them," he said.
Sajjat Ali made these comments while addressing a training session organized for DMP officers to enhance their skills in preventing road accidents at the InterContinental Dhaka.
The international organization Global Road Safety Partnership (GRSP) arranged the two-day training, covering techniques for accident prevention, with 60 police officers in attendance.
The DMP commissioner, who attended the event as the chief guest, highlighted the importance of following traffic rules to maintain road discipline and prevent accidents.
"However, many commuters do not comply with traffic rules. Issues such as failing to adhere to speed limits and suddenly changing lanes are often responsible for accidents," he said.
He further said that most road crashes in Dhaka occur between midnight and early morning when the roads are relatively empty.
He directed police officers to strictly enforce speed limits and implement existing laws to prevent accidents.
The event was chaired by Abdul Wadud, initiative coordinator of the Bloomberg Philanthropies Initiative for Global Road Safety (BIGRS) and former additional secretary.
DMP's Additional Police Commissioner (Traffic) Md Sarwar, Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) Superintending Engineer Khondoker Mahbub Alam, and senior DMP officers were also present.
On the first day of the two-day event, the topic of "Road Policing Leadership" was discussed, while the second day focused on "Speed as a Key Risk Factor in Road Crashes."
