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5 years ago

Road safety: Progress slow in follow-up on PM’s directives

Students of Sylhet Agricultural University demonstrating on the campus on Sunday over the death of their fellow student Mohammed Wasim, as he was 'pushed off' a moving bus on Saturday — Focus Bangla
Students of Sylhet Agricultural University demonstrating on the campus on Sunday over the death of their fellow student Mohammed Wasim, as he was 'pushed off' a moving bus on Saturday — Focus Bangla

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Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has given new directives on road safety, although most of her earlier orders fell on deaf ears of the authorities concerned.

Sources said many of the instructions regarding road safety are yet to be implemented due to the implementers' procrastination.

The latest directive came as the premier opened the second Kanchpur Bridge to traffic on March 16.

She earlier directed relaxation of drivers on highways and an end to unhealthy competition while on wheels.

Hasina sought to ensure road safety during the weekly cabinet meeting on June 25 last year against the backdrop of the growing number of road accidents.

Directives also came during a meeting at the Prime Minister's Office on August 18 after a bus ran over students on Airport road that sparked protest all over.

According to officials, most of the directives are implementable only when the capacity of agencies like Bangladesh Road Transport Authority is developed and coordination among different agencies ensured.

They said it would take time for execution of all the directives and decisions made earlier.

"Setting up restrooms for drivers is underway, but it will take time for completion," said an official.

But critics slam the culture of directives and recommendations and said time has come to make all stakeholders liable for not taking the matter of road safety seriously.

The PM asked all to follow traffic rules, drivers to take rest on highways and sought preventive measures based on a report after an enquiry into an accident.

She also sought steps to prevent unhealthy competition by drivers, train up drivers before issuing licence and use modern technology on highway.

In addition, a directive was also given to ensure longevity of bridges through maintaining weight machines and, if necessary, taking ferry service to transport overloaded goods.

Sources said the ministry concerned has already written to the chiefs of agencies like the director general of police and chief engineer of roads and highways department to take steps.

It also sent letters to the executive director of Dhaka Transport Coordination Authority and chairmen of Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) and Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation (BRTC).

Ministry officials said training for drivers has already started amid want of adequate training institutes and trainers.

Apart from the BRTC's 17 training centres, a plan is well under way to train drivers through listed private training centres.

They said capacity of trainers needs to be improved.

The PMO directives to pick and drop passengers only at bus stops and keep shut the doors of running buses, among others, in the capital are hardly followed.

Prof Shamsul Haque, an expert in transportation and safety, said time has come to find flaws and take steps to hold authorities accountable for their failure to take timely measures.

"Time is ripe for asking 'why, why, and why'. Why directives are not implemented and why things are not changed after two terms of the government."

Prof Haque, who teaches civil engineering, said this to the FE over phone when asked about the flaws in slow implementation of the high-profile directives.

He, however, said the government must focus on capacity building of all concerned, including RAJUK and BRTA and reform them so they can find realistic solution to roads and transport.

Prof Haque said an unplanned city with more than 6.0 million vehicles cannot be managed by 'sewing and clinging' as it needs adequate manpower, budget and proper action.

The directives aside, a cabinet meeting on May 02 in 2013 also formed a committee on road safety involving 10 ministries.

There are also recommendations and directives from the High Court and the Supreme Court to this end.

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