WB VP, UN special envoy on road safety due today

World Bank (WB) Vice President for the South Asia Region, Hartwig Schafer, and the United Nations Secretary-General's Special Envoy on Road Safety, Jean Todt, are scheduled to arrive in the city today (Monday), reports UNB.

They will discuss the challenges and opportunities to improve road safety in Bangladesh.

During the two-day visit, they will meet the finance minister, roads transport and bridges minister, other senior government officials, and civil society representatives.

Schafer and Todt will also participate in the 'Road Safety for All' event in Dhaka on September 24, which is part of the South Asia Regional Programme on Road Safety that includes Bangladesh.

"Road accidents are life-shattering experiences for families. Apart from the enormous human toll, road safety has a major economic impact; globally, annual crash-related costs are estimated at 2 to 5 per cent of national Gross Domestic Product," said Schafer.