IN the latest incident, at least 13 workers were killed and two others received severe injuries when a coal-laden truck flipped over on a makeshift shed at a brick kiln in Cumilla on Friday. The workers were sleeping at that time. The incident happened as the driver lost control over the wheels, said police. What we see that, deadly road accidents have become a regular phenomenon across the country despite several measures taken by the authorities concerned and relevant departments. Untrained drivers along with unfit vehicles are seen everywhere, for which most of the roads and highways have now turned into death traps.
The scenario was all the same in previous year too. There was hardly a day without any accident. Meanwhile, Bangladesh Jatri Kalyan Samity, a passengers’ welfare body, in a report has said that at least 7,221 people were killed and 15,466 others injured in 5,514 road crashes across the country in 2018. On an average, almost 20 people got killed every day. The principal reasons behind the crashes have been identified as reckless driving, risky overtaking, faulty roads, unfit vehicles, unskilled drivers and a general lack of awareness among road users. “Killing continues in Bangladesh in the name of road accidents,” Secretary General of Bangladesh Jatri Kalyan Samity, said.
The number of crashes increased in 2018 in comparison to 2017. The actual number of crashes and causalities might have been higher because many incidents go unreported. The Bangladesh Jatri Kalyan Samity recommended widespread awareness campaign about traffic laws, training drivers, quick enforcement of the new Road Transport Act and increasing public transport to prevent crashes.
It is an open secret that there is an evil cycle in the transport sector, in which the contractors, engineers, police, transport owners and workers and politicians, are involved. They don’t want to bring discipline on roads for their own personal interest. On the other hand, the increasing volume of motorized vehicles is creating excessive pressure on the roads and highways. We think, discipline on the roads would not be brought through enforcing laws alone; emphasis should also be given on other related issues. Rail and riverine communications should be expanded to reduce pressure on the roads.
