The situation caused by road accidents in the country is deteriorating due to lack of coordination among different ministries to improve the condition, introducing fitnessless vehicles on the roads using political influence, not giving appointment letters to the drivers, realizing more working hours from drivers at less remuneration in violation of international law and not creating efficient drivers in accordance with registration of vehicles. At the same time, cooperation by police in illegal traffic movement in return for tolls is intensifying the gravity of the crisis. Despite the demand being raised for 21 years, the government has not yet declared the National Safe Road Day. According to the estimate of Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) there are at present 20 lakhs of registered vehicles. Of these three lakh vehicles are without fitness. The number of fitnessless vehicles plying from the capital is about 90 thousands. Moreover, a lion’s share of the vehicles having fitness certificates is faulty. Fitnessless vehicles were also a major cause behind the latest deadly road crash on Hatikumrul-Banpara highway Monday that killed 34 people. The vehicles without fitness are plying on 361 routes of the country of these some are without windows, some with damaged brake system, some without seats and looking glasses. In the capital itself, apart from Suprobhat, such condition of most of the buses of various companies was witnessed. It is learnt from BRTA sources that bus owners are running vehicles without fitness paying regular tolls to the police. Most of the 3 lakh vehicles without fitness are plying the roads between districts and upazilas. On Monday last two buses – one Rajshahi-bound from Dhaka owned by Keya Paribohon and the other Gurudaspur-bound from Natore owned by Athai paribohon collided head-on. The owner of Athai paribohon Alam Mondol was killed in the accident. This vehicle had no valid documents. People’s lives are lost due to plying of such vehicles having no valid documents. The government vehicles are also taking away life of commuters and pedestrians. BRTC buses appear to be a giant in the road. A BRTC bus rammed into an easy-bike claiming lives of four passengers on October 9. The accident took place on Khulna-Jessore highway near Khalishpur BGB camp. Police seized the bus. On September 28, triangular collision took plan among a BRTC bus, a truck and auto-rickshaw killing one person. Over 400 unfit buses are lying idle in BRTC depot. Around 200 buses of the state-run transport authority were damaged due to political violence last year. Not only vehicle without fitness but also those without licence are causing road accidents. An investigation shows that 61 percent drivers numbering a total of 16 lakh do not have valid licence. The owners allegedly do not issue any appointment letters to the drivers. Appointment letters are legal documents. If appointment letters are issued, job of the drivers is regulated under the law concerned setting work hours and salaries. As such, the vehicle owners compel the unlicensed drivers to do duty for long hours exceeding limit set by law. Amzad Ali, a truck driver of Dhaka-Chittagong route, said “I have to drive truck for 15 consecutive days. I don’t have appointment letter.” The roads transport related law of 2014 requires the vehicle owners to issue appointment letter to the drivers compulsorily. The road was 4,000 km long across the country in 1973. Now, the length of road expanded to 21,000 km and number of vehicles has increased to 20 lakh. This vast sector is being regulated by the 75-year-old law. In 2012, the government moved to make a law keeping provision for issuance of appointment letter to drivers and their punishment in case of accident. But such law cannot be enacted due to pressure of the owners. The draft of this law is shelved in Bangladesh Road Transport and Bridges Ministry. A number of 15,000 accidents take place across the country annually. Only 4,000 cases are filed in this connection. In absence of cases, the clues behind the accidents are going missing. Although some cases are filed, there is no headway in the investigation due to negligence of police. Sometimes, the investigation cannot move forward as affected parties enter into reconciliation with the delinquent drivers. Common people and affected families have been demanding death sentence of the drivers for accident. As per existing law, a driver is liable to be punished with 3 years imprisonment for causing accident. It is a bailable offence.Motor Vehicles Ordinance provides for 4 months’ imprisonment and Tk 500 fine. Against the backdrop, the government drafted a law keeping the provision of 10 years imprisonment for a driver for causing accident in 2012. But the transport sector leaders and workers are pressurising the government to reduce the punishment. M A N Siddique, secretary of road transport and highways division, said the law may be placed before the parliament in the first week of the next month. The government is not only reluctant to enact time-befitting law to curb road accidents but also unenthusiastic to declare much-talked-about ‘Road Safety Day’ in the national context. It has been learnt that film star Ilias Kanchan has been waging movement for the last 21 years for safe road in the country after losing his wife in a road accident. The memory of that road accident shocked him badly. That is why any road accident in the country still gives him pain. A good number of people have also joined the movement for safe road. Although the intensity and number of accident have gone up in the country but the government is not patronising any social movement in tackling road accidents. Despite demand for last 21 years, the government is not giving recognition to the National Road Safety Day. Ministry sources said the government wanted to recognise the National Road Safety Day on the day of July 11, 2011 as a massive road accident took place at Mirsarai in Chittagong. Secretary for Road Transport and Highway Department M A N Siddique said, “We verified public opinions. People also gave their opinions in favour of declaring the day of Mirsarai accident as National Road Safety Day. But no initiative was taken later following a case filed in this regard.” Chairman of the Nirapad Sarak Chai movement Ilias Kanchan said, “I have been demanding October 22 to be observed as National Road Safety Day for the last 21 years but yet to see any positive result.” The plan for bringing down the road accidents by half by the year 2020 is still hanging in the balance. There is no coordination among different ministries and divisions including home ministry, ministry for communications and bridge and local government. Plying of Nasimon-Karimon-Votvoti on different highways has been banned. According to a decision of the 19th meeting of national road security parishad, BRTA authorities stopped plying those vehicles on the highway hanging banner. Many vehicles are still plying on highways defying BRTA banners. A bus driver of Bhoirab told this correspondent that only Nasimon is plying on the road by paying bribe to police. Transport Secretary MAN Siddique told this correspondent, “We have given instruction to Deputy Commissioner for seizing unfit vehicles. It is not possible to send those vehicles for dumping by conducting mobile court because BRTA runs short of manpower. After the road accident owner of the vehicle is also bringing to book because owners want to ply unfit vehicle on the road.” According to a statistics, about 10 road accidents are occurring across the country everyday at the same time which take away 5 to 44 lives. On Monday last 34 passengers were killed in road accident which took place at Hatikumrul-Bonpara highway. Brilliant film maker Tarek Masud and photographer Mishuk Munir are only the memories. They lost their lives in a road accident at Joka area of Dhaka-Aricha highway on August 13 in 2013. Film maker Tarek Masud, Chief Executive of ATN News Mishuk Munir, driver of microbus Mostafizur Rahman, production assistant Motahar Hossain Washim and Jamal Hossain were killed on the spot. Catherine Masud, wife of the award-winning filmmaker, painter Dhali Al Mamun and his wife Dilara Begum Jolly also sustained injuries during the crash. Some 44 school-going students were killed in a fatal road accident at Mirersharai in Chittagong on 11 July in 2011 last. They were returning to Mirersharai stadium watching football match at 1:30 pm. The country observed three-day mourn for the incident.
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