Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner Sheikh Sazzat Ali on Tuesday urged political parties, including the BNP, to refrain from staging road-blocking demonstrations on working days, citing the severe inconvenience such programs cause to city commuters.
He came up with the comments while speaking as the chief guest at a training workshop held at Hotel InterContinental in Dhaka, aimed at enhancing the capacity of DMP officials in investigating road crashes.
The two-day training has been organised by the Global Road Safety Partnership (GRSP), with participation from 60 police officers representing various units of the DMP.
During the session, Dhaka’s law enforcement officers working in traffic management were trained in internationally recognised investigative techniques tailored to the local context.
The workshop also focused on various aspects of global road safety.
“Sustaining discipline in vehicular movement and maintaining law and order in the city are major challenges,” said Commissioner Sazzat Ali, adding: “We have requested senior leaders of political parties, including the BNP, to avoid organizing political events that block roads on working days. Such activities cause immense suffering for road users in Dhaka.”
He further said: “When such programs are held, police resources are diverted, leaving little time for proper investigation of road crashes. But if crashes are investigated using scientific methods to accurately identify their causes, it could play a crucial role in reducing road fatalities in the future.”
To address this, the commissioner emphasized the need for upskilling police personnel in scientific crash investigation methods.
“Although the Traffic Division oversees road duties, crash investigations are conducted by the Crime Division. Going forward, traffic police will be involved in such investigations,” he added.
The DMP commissioner also stressed the importance of compliance with traffic rules to prevent road crashes.
Violations such as speeding, sudden lane changes, and indiscriminate road crossing significantly increase crash risks, he noted.
“Most road crashes in Dhaka occur between midnight and early morning when the roads are relatively empty,” he said, instructing police officers to strictly enforce existing laws and control speed limits to prevent such incidents.
Speaking as special guest, Additional Police Commissioner (Traffic) Md Sarwar said: “If all road users – including drivers, passengers and pedestrians – follow traffic rules and speed limits, the risk of road crashes can be greatly reduced.”
