Wednesday, 08 May, 2024
The death march in road accidents is not to be stopped! The constant loss of life and disability due to road accidents across the country is hindering the country’s growth which recorded an average growth rate of 5.88 per cent from 1994 until 2022, reaching an all-time high of 8.15 per cent in 2019 and a record low of 3.51 per cent in 2020.
“If road accidents are not controlled, there will be no relief from the deep chasm of insecurity in civil life--it can be said for sure. Now, we have to think about where we will find the solution to control this fatal road accident”, said Mohammad Shahidul Islam, Secretary General of Bangladesh Reconditioned Vehicles Importers and Dealers Association (BARVIDA).
He was talking to this correspondent on the growth journey of Bangladesh under the regular series of THE BANGLADESH EXPRESS titled-growth Talks.
“When Bangladesh dreams of becoming a developing country after 50 years of independence, Bangladeshi families are losing parents, brothers, sisters, and loved ones every day. Road accidents must be reduced to keep economic growth pace”, the BARVIDA leader said.
Bangladesh Reconditioned Vehicles Importers and Dealers Association (BARVIDA) is a Nationalised Trade Organization of the country's reconditioned vehicle importers and dealers.
In 2019, 5 thousand 211 people died in road accidents across the country; 5 thousand 431 in 2020; 6 thousand 284 people died in 2021 and lastly 6 thousand 700 people died in 2022, Mr. Islam said quoting the data from the Road Safety Foundation.
The total number of deaths in the last 4 years alone is about 24 thousand. On average, 18 people die every day. But the picture of injured and maimed in road accidents remains out of it. Which is many times more than the loss of life.
Most recently, he continued, 20 people were killed and almost everyone on the bus was injured in the accident of Imad Paribahan on Dhaka-Bhanga Expressway on March 19. The severity of road accidents has shocked and surprised the countrymen.
“We must come out of this tragic reality of uncontrolled and insecure management of `roads and communications In order to join the ranks of developing countries. It is neither possible nor desirable to increase national productivity by subjecting civil life to an insecure and uncertain death”.
BARVIDA secretary general said that more than 25 per cent of accidents occur on motorcycles while about 11 per cent accidents occurred by buses; about 10 per cent by Nachiman, Kariman, Mahindra, Tractor, and Laguna; about 9 per cent by CNG-powered auto-rickshaws; about 9 per cent of battery-powered auto-rickshaws, rickshaws, vans, and easy bikes and 6 per cent by private cars, sports utility vehicles (SUVs) and microbuses are involved in road accidents.
“No one knows better than the people of Bangladesh about the horrors of traffic jams and road accidents, but it goes without saying that the politicians and bureaucracy are responsible for the damage that is done in this area”, he said.
The number of cars and drivers must be controlled through the management of public transport in an innovative way. Otherwise, it will not be possible to prevent death, disability, and damage in road accidents, he continued.
The BARVIDA leader thinks the government should abolish dual registration for reconditioned vehicles to reduce road accidents. Imported old cars must be registered once in the name of the importer and later in the buyer's name after bringing them into the country.
Every time a major accident occurs, Islam said the reasons behind it are analyzed. Communication experts say that discussing these reasons and analysis is just about `symptoms’.
“But no one questions the actions of those who are supposed to see these things before an accident happens. In the context of the severity of road accidents, the issue of ``national management capability'' has become questionable”, he said.
“If road accidents are not controlled, there will be no relief from the deep chasm of insecurity in civil life--it can be said for sure. Now, we have to think about where we will find the solution to control this fatal road accident”, he said.
Like everyone else in the country, the terrible accident of Imad Paribahan has bewildered Mohammad Shahidul Islam's mind. He is the Chairman of HNS Group, General Secretary of the Bangladesh Reconditioned Vehicle Imports and Dealers Association (BERVIDA) and a member of the Japan-Bangladesh Chamber.
The country's successful entrepreneur Shahidul Islam identified road accidents as a nationally important problem. He also gave some ideas for its remedy as follows:
1. The number of cars and drivers must be controlled through the management of public transport in an innovative way. Otherwise, it will not be possible to prevent death, disability, and damage in road accidents.
2. The wages of drivers and helpers and their working hours must be specified. Valuing their profession is as important as ensuring their right to live in social status. And BRTA has to play an important role in creating skilled drivers.
3. There is a system of twinning tires in the market in Bangladesh, that is, old and worn-out tires are sold in twinning. It's like selling accidents. Owners should be more careful about this.
4. There is no alternative to developing a combined communication and public transport network - sea, rail, and road. We have to reduce the pressure of excess vehicles on the roads. By increasing the use of rail and waterways, the use of land for road transport will decrease.
5. Housing, employment, and basic services of living should be created in the planned population. So there is a restriction on large cities such as Dhaka, Chittagong, Rajshahi, and Khulna. Not only the prevention of road accidents, but this initiative will also ensure a free citizen's lifestyle, and in such a reality national productivity will increase.
6. It is necessary to build infrastructure and create the proper education and civic sense to build a rich mental structure for the people.
7. Excess passengers and cargo should be stopped. Zebra crossing should be arranged in the city.
8. Corruption in the traffic police and police administration must be stopped. Strict punishment should be ensured for negligence and corruption.
9. An effective and efficient communication network and public transport management should be developed to increase national productivity;
10. Pedestrians and passengers should also be fined and punished for violating traffic laws;
11. Efforts are needed to formulate and implement business-friendly regulations in the communication and transportation sector.
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The death march in road accidents is not to be stopped! The constant loss of life and disability due to road accidents across the country is hindering the country’s growth which recorded an average growth rate of 5.88 per cent from 1994 until 2022, reaching an all-time high of 8.15 per cent in 2019 and a record low of 3.51 per cent in 2020.
“If road accidents are not controlled, there will be no relief from the deep chasm of insecurity in civil life--it can be said for sure. Now, we have to think about where we will find the solution to control this fatal road accident”, said Mohammad Shahidul Islam, Secretary General of Bangladesh Reconditioned Vehicles Importers and Dealers Association (BARVIDA).
He was talking to this correspondent on the growth journey of Bangladesh under the regular series of THE BANGLADESH EXPRESS titled-growth Talks.
“When Bangladesh dreams of becoming a developing country after 50 years of independence, Bangladeshi families are losing parents, brothers, sisters, and loved ones every day. Road accidents must be reduced to keep economic growth pace”, the BARVIDA leader said.
Bangladesh Reconditioned Vehicles Importers and Dealers Association (BARVIDA) is a Nationalised Trade Organization of the country's reconditioned vehicle importers and dealers.
In 2019, 5 thousand 211 people died in road accidents across the country; 5 thousand 431 in 2020; 6 thousand 284 people died in 2021 and lastly 6 thousand 700 people died in 2022, Mr. Islam said quoting the data from the Road Safety Foundation.
The total number of deaths in the last 4 years alone is about 24 thousand. On average, 18 people die every day. But the picture of injured and maimed in road accidents remains out of it. Which is many times more than the loss of life.
Most recently, he continued, 20 people were killed and almost everyone on the bus was injured in the accident of Imad Paribahan on Dhaka-Bhanga Expressway on March 19. The severity of road accidents has shocked and surprised the countrymen.
“We must come out of this tragic reality of uncontrolled and insecure management of `roads and communications In order to join the ranks of developing countries. It is neither possible nor desirable to increase national productivity by subjecting civil life to an insecure and uncertain death”.
BARVIDA secretary general said that more than 25 per cent of accidents occur on motorcycles while about 11 per cent accidents occurred by buses; about 10 per cent by Nachiman, Kariman, Mahindra, Tractor, and Laguna; about 9 per cent by CNG-powered auto-rickshaws; about 9 per cent of battery-powered auto-rickshaws, rickshaws, vans, and easy bikes and 6 per cent by private cars, sports utility vehicles (SUVs) and microbuses are involved in road accidents.
“No one knows better than the people of Bangladesh about the horrors of traffic jams and road accidents, but it goes without saying that the politicians and bureaucracy are responsible for the damage that is done in this area”, he said.
The number of cars and drivers must be controlled through the management of public transport in an innovative way. Otherwise, it will not be possible to prevent death, disability, and damage in road accidents, he continued.
The BARVIDA leader thinks the government should abolish dual registration for reconditioned vehicles to reduce road accidents. Imported old cars must be registered once in the name of the importer and later in the buyer's name after bringing them into the country.
Every time a major accident occurs, Islam said the reasons behind it are analyzed. Communication experts say that discussing these reasons and analysis is just about `symptoms’.
“But no one questions the actions of those who are supposed to see these things before an accident happens. In the context of the severity of road accidents, the issue of ``national management capability'' has become questionable”, he said.
“If road accidents are not controlled, there will be no relief from the deep chasm of insecurity in civil life--it can be said for sure. Now, we have to think about where we will find the solution to control this fatal road accident”, he said.
Like everyone else in the country, the terrible accident of Imad Paribahan has bewildered Mohammad Shahidul Islam's mind. He is the Chairman of HNS Group, General Secretary of the Bangladesh Reconditioned Vehicle Imports and Dealers Association (BERVIDA) and a member of the Japan-Bangladesh Chamber.
The country's successful entrepreneur Shahidul Islam identified road accidents as a nationally important problem. He also gave some ideas for its remedy as follows:
1. The number of cars and drivers must be controlled through the management of public transport in an innovative way. Otherwise, it will not be possible to prevent death, disability, and damage in road accidents.
2. The wages of drivers and helpers and their working hours must be specified. Valuing their profession is as important as ensuring their right to live in social status. And BRTA has to play an important role in creating skilled drivers.
3. There is a system of twinning tires in the market in Bangladesh, that is, old and worn-out tires are sold in twinning. It's like selling accidents. Owners should be more careful about this.
4. There is no alternative to developing a combined communication and public transport network - sea, rail, and road. We have to reduce the pressure of excess vehicles on the roads. By increasing the use of rail and waterways, the use of land for road transport will decrease.
5. Housing, employment, and basic services of living should be created in the planned population. So there is a restriction on large cities such as Dhaka, Chittagong, Rajshahi, and Khulna. Not only the prevention of road accidents, but this initiative will also ensure a free citizen's lifestyle, and in such a reality national productivity will increase.
6. It is necessary to build infrastructure and create the proper education and civic sense to build a rich mental structure for the people.
7. Excess passengers and cargo should be stopped. Zebra crossing should be arranged in the city.
8. Corruption in the traffic police and police administration must be stopped. Strict punishment should be ensured for negligence and corruption.
9. An effective and efficient communication network and public transport management should be developed to increase national productivity;
10. Pedestrians and passengers should also be fined and punished for violating traffic laws;
11. Efforts are needed to formulate and implement business-friendly regulations in the communication and transportation sector.
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