Road accidents kill more than 4000 a year
BUET-sponsored workshop told in Rangpur
Rafiq Sarker, Rangpur
Speakers at a workshop here stressed on coordinated efforts by all stakeholders including government departments and transport businessmen to check road accidents in the country.
Despite wholehearted efforts by the National Road Safety Council, road accidents are increasing, killing and injuring a large number of people everyday, they said.
Lack of traffic knowledge, disrespect to traffic rules and corruption by government departments concerned are the main causes behind increasing accidents, the speaker said.
The day-long workshop and training on ' Road Safety and Good Driving Practices' was organised by Accident Research Centre of BUET. It was held at Rangpur Parjaton Motel.
The speakers made a number of proposals to reduce the rate of road accidents.
With Eng. Mojibur Rahman, president of IEEB in the chair, it was addressed by, among others, Rangpur Deputy Commissioner Nazrul Islam Khan, Police Superintendent Mahbun Mohshin, Assistant Professor of BUET Mohammad Moahbub Alam and Associate Professor of Rajshahi University ANM Saleh.
As many as 150 transport workers and transport owners participated in the workshop.
Prof Mazharul Haque, Project Director of ARC, presented the keynote paper at the workshop.
Road accidents cause a loss of Tk 4000 to 5000 crore in the country every year. The amount is about two percent of the GDP, it said.
According to police records, about 4000 people are killed and 5000 injured every year in the country due to road accidents. The actual rate would be much higher than the police record as the law-enforcing agencies fail to record all the accidents, Haque said.
The number would be 10,000 to 12,000, he claimed.
He cited a study to say that the rate of road accident in Bangladesh is about 10 per cent higher than in developed countries.
Other speaker said that the main cause for rising road accidents is lack of strict enforcement of laws.
Most of the accidents take place due to wreckless driving by persons who can procure driving licences without proper training. But after an accident they manage a section of officials and escape punishment.
The speakers also called for creating awareness among transport worker and member of the public about road accidents. |
