The horrific head-on collision on the Natore-Pabna highway, which claimed at least 14 lives and left over 30 injured, is yet another grim reminder that our roads and highways remain highly susceptible to unmitigated carnage.
The culprit, as it often is, was a driver with little to no regard for rules, operating a speeding, overcrowded long-distance night coach that had an expired fitness certificate.
Once again, speeding, reckless overtaking, and unchecked vehicular rot resulted in another accident that led to mass graves.
How many times will we need to see dozens of people lose their lives before we do something about this culture of impunity and disregard?
Data from monitoring agencies shows that every month, there are at least 4,000 deaths as a result of fatal accidents on our roads and highways. Unlicensed and unfit commercial vehicles, driven by drivers who are not fit to be behind the wheel, and owners with little to no regard for the lives of everyday people, continue to operate and put millions of commuters at risk.
With Durga Puja holidays ongoing, this tragedy carries an even more heartbreak. Festive seasons across Bangladesh trigger massive surges in highway travel as thousands of families journey home to unite with loved ones.
Yet, instead of receiving heightened vigilance, strict speed monitoring, and preventative security, holiday travelers are routinely subjected to over-speeding buses, exhausted drivers, and a total absence of traffic accountability.
It is no wonder then that as holiday traffic peaks, so do fatalities on our highways. Post-disaster condolences mean nothing to grieving families who continue to lose loved ones to accidents that never should have occurred.
Suffice to say, we need a change. Unfit vehicles and reckless drivers have no place on our roads, nor do transport owners who cannot recognize that lives are worth more than profit. Seasonal celebrations must not be continually transformed into national mourning. Enough is enough.
