Road accidents are, unfortunately, an incredibly common occurrence in Bangladesh. So much so that last month alone saw over 500 road accidents claiming close to 600 lives, according to a report prepared by the Road Safety Foundation.
While numerous laws and provisions have been made to curb this fatal phenomenon, none of it seems to actually have an impact. The government’s newest effort to that end, a compensation package for road crash victims, holds some promise as the family of those who have perished in a road accident will be entitled to a compensation as low as Tk5 lakh while those who have been injured irreparably can claim around Tk3 lakh.
While this is most definitely a sliver of good news to those grieving their loved ones dying because of road accidents, the question still remains: Will this be enough to actually curb road accidents in Bangladesh?
The lack of safety on our roads and highways has always been a structural issue, one that leads to a lack of any accountability for any incidents caused. From unfit vehicles plying on our roads without consequences to malicious, profiteering bus companies pitting drivers to compete on the roads leading to reckless behaviour, offenders have seldom, if ever, been brought to book.
What’s more, the recent steps made by the government such as overturning its decision to impose a cap on the amount of time vehicles such as buses and trucks can be considered economically viable, undo what little progress has been made on this front.
These are the issues that the government will need to address if it wants to genuinely eradicate road accidents from our country.
We need stricter policies that deter unruly behaviour on our roads, which means holding offenders accountable. There is no other way.
