NEWS reports said over 100 people died so far in road accidents and launch mishaps this week on their way home to Eid vacation and returning to city while hundreds of others faced injuries on roads and highways. This Eid festival was special to many due to long public holidays over nine days. More people took the journey to village homes to celebrate the holy Eid. But many of them were met with accidents, death and disabilities to turn the occasion of festivity to sad event. We must say that the Roads and Highways authorities can’t skip the responsibilities, as there were evidently neglect and also gap in monitoring vehicles fitness and drivers reckless driving. Reports said most transport vehicles; which were dilapidated and in poor condition were put on Roads and Highways to carry passengers. Politically powerful people exploited the opportunity with support of the traffic police. It appears that untrained drivers got licenses with pressures of union leaders and patronization of political quarters. Some BRTA officials are responsible as they issued licenses without verification of drivers’ skills and experience to handle vehicles on busy highways. At time unfit vehicles and unskilled drivers become cause of terrible accidents but BRTA authorities seem to have no responsibility once they have issued licenses. Mobile Courts make their presence in namesake when they track unfit vehicles and collect undue tolls for breaking the rules. The same is applicable for launches operating in river routes. Vessels’ inspectors issue fitness certificates sitting in their office as a recent news reports said without pondering what tragedy may befall upon home-goers if the vessels meet with accidents. Several such accidents have been reported on Dhaka-Barisal route over the past few days. As things appear management of Roads and Highways, Railways and Waterways needs to be far better to make people’s journey safe not only during Eid festivities but also round the year. There must be distinct road signals at dangerous turning points to avoid head-on collision. Road dividers must be at market places where vehicles must move slow. Roads must be widened at other points to avoid accidents. Deaths in road accidents are not taken seriously as if those who are becoming victims deserve to die and reckless driving is not a concern. This is not acceptable.
