Syed Shemul Parvez :
Sixteen people died in road crashes in the country on Monday.
Law and recent movement of students didn’t bring any change on the street.
Procession of death is on and gradually it is becoming longer to longer.
Measures taken by the government to reduce the number of casualties didn’t ensure expected success yet.
According to some reliable sources, around 75 persons were killed and around 500 others critically injured in separate road accidents fin last 10 days.
At least 16 more people were killed of which five in Gajipur, four in Feni, two in Patuakhali and other in separate road crashes across the country yesterday.
Experts say, there are many causes behind the increasing of road crashes as number of motorcycles rising on the streets. 2ndly drivers don’t follow the Traffic rule properly rather they like to drive as per their wills and 3rdly pedestrian take always risk to cross the roads and Highways.
These are mostly accountable for the sudden increase of accidents in the country.
Though the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) gave some guidelines to the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMD) and the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) to ensure that the buses must not be stopped except at the bus stand. Besides, all motorcycle users should bear maximum two persons and helmet is compulsory for every rider. But no benefit was appeared yet. Quieting In this issue, DMC Commissioner Asaduzzaman Mia told the media that police ordered the owners and drivers to ply buses with discipline, not to stop here and there and keep doors closed while driving buses. But these have not been implemented.
Ilias Kanchan, Founder and Chairman of Nischa said at a press conference, the growing number of motorcycles is mainly responsible for the sudden rise of accidents.
Ilias Kanchan also claimed that many underage bikers are careless on the road and drive the vehicles recklessly, often causing accidents after losing control. “That’s why the number of accidents is on the rise.
According to Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA), the number of motorcycles saw an approximately threefold increase — from 7 lakh to 22 lakh – in two years (2016 to 2018). The number of deaths in road crashes was 4,144 in 2016, 5,645 in 2017, and 3,414 in 2018 (until September), according to the survey.
Among the deaths in 2017, the survey said, 27 percent were caused by the motorcycle riders. Questioning the seriousness of the government to stop disorder on the road, city expert professor Nazrul Islam said, the disorder on the road has aggravated. “The highest level of the government has to maintain political commitment to establish order on road,” he told it media.
Owners, drivers, commuters and officials concerned have to abide by the traffic law, Mr Islam suggested.
Khandaker Enayet Ullah, General Secretary of Dhaka Road Transport Owners Association (DRTO) said tt would take time to implement the decision,” Dhaka Road Transport Owners Association General Secretary Khandaker Enayet Ullah told media.
