BRSN calls for road management reform commission, presents 20-point demand

The Bangladesh Road Safety Network (BRSN) has urged the government to form a Road Management Reform Commission to ensure sustainable and safe transport systems across the country, saying that the country’s road sector remains plagued by mismanagement, corruption, and poor coordination even after 54 years of independence.

At a press conference held at the Dhaka Reporters Unity on Monday, BRSN presented a 20-point demand, emphasising both sustainable transport strategies and institutional reforms to restore discipline on the roads and reduce the alarming rate of road crashes.

The BRSN, which organised the press conference, is an umbrella platform comprising several prominent organisations working on road safety and public advocacy. Its members include the Road Safety Foundation, Nirapad Sarak Andolon, Bangladesh Society for Change and Advocacy Nexus (B-SCAN), Eventful Bangladesh Society, Nusrat Jahan Toma Foundation, Seba Bangladesh Foundation, Thoughts & Through, and the Center for Work and Occupational Health Safety.

Through this coalition, BRSN aims to push for comprehensive road management reforms, safer public transport, and institutional restructuring to reduce road accidents and improve urban mobility across the country.

BRSN coordinator Pahari Bhattacharjee said the absence of a sustainable transport policy has resulted in chaotic road conditions, unsafe public transport, and frequent fatal accidents that cause immense human and economic losses. “Each road death is not just a statistic—it represents a family’s lifelong suffering and a blow to national productivity,” he said.

Among the major demands, the organisation called for the formation of a politically neutral public transport system, ensuring professional benefits and job security for drivers, and the withdrawal of expired vehicles from the roads. According to BRSN, over 500,000 expired vehicles are still in operation, contributing significantly to daily accidents, which the group termed as “structural killings.”

The platform also demanded the introduction of modern safety technologies, including integrated transport and surveillance systems, company-based bus services under the route rationalisation plan, and mandatory bus services for schools and colleges to reduce traffic congestion.

 It also pressed for women- and disability-friendly transport systems, strict control over motorcycle speed, and improvement of urban traffic and parking management.

On institutional reforms, BRSN proposed reconstituting the National Road Safety Council (NRSC) under the Chief Justice as its head, appointment of technical experts at top positions in BRTA, BIWTA, and DTCA, and structural reforms within these transport agencies to enhance transparency and accountability.

The Network further demanded a separate budgetary allocation for road safety awareness programmes, the finalisation of the draft Road Safety Act, and an annual allocation of Tk 7.0 billion for the Road Accident Victim Trust Fund to ensure prompt compensation for victims and their families.

Concluding the briefing, Pahari Bhattacharjee said, “We call on the interim government to form a reform commission to overhaul the road transport sector. Through modern policies, technology, and public awareness, we can build a safe, affordable, and equitable transport system for all citizens.”

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