Will road fatalities go on without end?
We are deeply concerned about the lack of meaningful initiatives from the relevant authorities to ensure road safety, as crashes continue to claim lives across the country. According to the Bangladesh Jatri Kalyan Samity (BJKS), 583 people were killed and 1,202 injured in 567 road accidents in April alone. BJKS has identified several major causes of these crashes, with motorcycle accidents contributing to the highest number of casualties last month. Other causes include the operation of battery-powered rickshaws on highways, a lack of signs, markings, and lights on national roads, disobedience of traffic rules, unfit vehicles, unskilled drivers, and reckless driving. Although these reasons are well known, and experts and road safety advocates have long urged action, we have yet to see any effective measures from the authorities.
The current situation reflects the failure of successive governments to treat road safety with the urgency it deserves. Particularly during the 15 years of Awami League rule, corruption, mismanagement, and political influence plagued the transport sector. Powerful figures in transport associations, working hand in glove with police and political leaders, sustained a corrupt system that served their interests. Even though a student-led movement in 2018 led to the enactment of the Road Transport Act (RTA) 2018, it remains largely unimplemented to this day.
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We had hoped for improvements under the interim government, but disappointingly, little progress has been made since it took office nine months ago. Extortion and anarchy still dominate the sector, with transport associations now run mostly by BNP leaders and activists instead of their Awami League predecessors. Meanwhile, unlicensed and noncompliant drivers continue to cause accidents. One example of the government's lack of impact is that although it had announced a decision to remove outdated vehicles from roads by May, there has been little visible interest from owners or government effort to enforce it. Such a lacklustre response to a national crisis is unacceptable.
We urge the authorities to take a holistic approach to restoring order on our roads. Implementing the RTA is essential, but we must also tackle the pervasive extortion and political interference in the sector. Establishing a commission to reform the transport system is also an option that should be considered. The BJKS and other organisations have already identified the main causes of disorder and proposed solutions. The government must take these recommendations seriously and act without delay to ensure road safety.
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