As 2023 begins, Bangladesh has much to look forward to.
Last year, we witnessed some of our most ambitious plans being realized, and it is only natural to expect the ball to keep rolling this year too.
However, there were a number of unfortunate records we broke in 2022, which stand in stark contrast to what we hope to achieve as a nation.
A highest number of road accident fatalities was recorded in the past year, with approximately 9,951 deaths caused by 6,749 road accidents, and an additional 12,356 left injured.
The number of deaths by road accidents increased by 27.43% from 2021 to 2022.
This is absolutely unacceptable. To call this a tragedy would be undermining the gravity of the situation.
Bangladesh is no stranger to road accidents, and that is, in large part, due to a faulty system and severe misconduct.
Despite the many new policies that have been attempted to be put in place, there seems to be something wrong at the very core of how we have approached the matter.
For too long, we have allowed traffic mismanagement, faulty vehicles, and negligent drivers to be let off the hook, with little to no accountability for the damage they leave in their wake.
This has claimed countless lives, and left too many in long-term distress.
In order to fully prevent this very severe -- and unfortunately common -- phenomenon from causing any more damage, the authorities involved need to take sincere measures, and establish proper policies to address any and all loopholes in the system.
The perpetrators of road accidents must not be allowed impunity any longer, so as to discourage the carelessness they have exhibited for so long.
A new year has rolled in with the promise of a better tomorrow, but if we want to start with a truly clean slate, we need to take a closer look at what we are doing wrong, and rectify our errors once and for all.
