We are deeply saddened by the tragic loss of lives in road crashes during the Eid-ul-Fitr holidays. According to data from the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA), during the eight-day vacation from March 28 to April 4, a total of 132 people lost their lives and 208 were injured in road accidents across the country. Unfortunately, such crashes and fatalities during Eid vacations have become a recurring feature over the years.

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Government's fatal apathy towards road safety

While the government deserves some appreciation for its efforts to make Eid journeys smooth and hassle-free for home-bound people this year, clearly, not enough was done to prevent road crashes. While ad-hoc measures cannot fully prevent road crashes during mass movements, we believe some steps could have been taken to secure accident-prone areas on the highways. For instance, the Chunati Jangalia area on the Chattogram-Cox's Bazar highway—reportedly the most accident-prone spot along this route—witnessed three major crashes, which could have been averted had preemptive measures been taken. Similarly, there are numerous known spots on our highways where road accidents frequently occur. Implementing safety measures in these areas during Eid could have helped save precious lives.

It is heartbreaking to think of the family that was traveling to Cox's Bazar to celebrate Eid but tragically lost their lives—all five of them—in a devastating accident on the Chattogram-Cox's Bazar highway. Or think of the family of the police constable who was on his way to visit his pregnant wife but never made it. Such tragedies must not be normalised. The authorities and transport leaders must take effective measures to prevent this annual scenario.

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Why must Eid festivities always turn tragic?

Previously, we saw how the Awami League regime consistently neglected the issue of road safety and bowed down to pressure from transport owners and workers. While numerous infrastructural development projects were undertaken during its tenure to enhance road connectivity nationwide, road safety was regrettably sidelined. Thus, over the past 15 years, public transport became one of the most corrupt and unregulated sectors, with the anarchy on our roads increasing significantly.

We hope the interim government will take decisive steps to regulate this sector and enforce the RTA-2018 without succumbing to any external pressures. Establishing a dedicated commission to implement much-needed reforms in the sector should be a priority. Without a comprehensive overhaul of the entire system, achieving road safety will remain an unattainable goal.