The procession of preventable deaths from road crashes never seems to end in Bangladesh. In January alone, at least 487 deaths and 1,194 injuries from 559 road crashes were reported in the country, according to data compiled by the Road Safety Foundation (RSF). Another report in this daily highlights the persistence of these tragedies despite the change of government, with 10 people killed over the weekend of February 20-21. Even as we write this, news has emerged of two passengers of a human haulier killed in the capital’s Jatrabari area, when a bus rammed it from behind; another passenger was critically injured.
Unsurprisingly, the highest death toll in January, according to RSF, was in Dhaka division, which also recorded the highest number of crashes. In the capital alone, 26 crashes resulted in 18 deaths. Poor traffic safety and urban transport mismanagement are the primary causes of the numerous crashes witnessed on Dhaka’s crowded streets. On highways outside the capital, however, the presence of slow-moving vehicles—including two- and three-wheelers—alongside heavier vehicles is a major cause of collisions. Of the five crashes reported in this daily over the weekend, three involved motorbikes, and all three riders were killed. The RSF report also underscores this concern: 15.81 percent of total deaths involved riders and passengers of motorbikes, easy bikes, CNG-run auto-rickshaws, and auto-vans. Additionally, 27.90 percent of crashes occurred on national highways and 37.03 percent on regional roads.
According to experts, such unfortunate incidents cannot be prevented unless the number of two- and three-wheelers is regulated through strict registration and licensing requirements, and unless a professional system of bus route management is introduced. Road safety awareness must also be strengthened among both riders and passengers. Dedicated lanes for two- and three-wheelers and other slow-moving vehicles can be considered as well.
However, the most crucial factor is political will. One of the main reasons that reckless driving, unfit vehicles, buses operating without route permits, and unlicensed drivers continue unchecked is the corrupt system that benefits transport owners, drivers, law enforcers, and politicians. Extortion and bribery sustain this system, obstructing any attempt at reform. In this context, the incumbent road transport and bridges minister’s recent comment—that money collected from transport operators on the roads through “mutual agreement” cannot be called extortion—sends an alarming signal.
There are high expectations from the BNP government that came to power through a credible election following a mass uprising that toppled the authoritarian Awami League regime. It must remember that the July uprising was preceded by the 2018 road safety movement and its demands remain unmet to date. Therefore, the government must employ every effort to break the corrupt nexus that has long plagued our transport system. Ensuring safer roads needs strict actions, not the redefinition of terms such as extortion.
