Shipping Minister Shajahan Khan, who usually dwells more on road transport issues than ones concerning his own ministry, last Friday unveiled a government plan to straighten about 200 accident-prone bends on roads and highways.
The shipping minister, understandably, talks more on transport issues for his direct involvement with trade union activities of the road transport sector. He is the executive president of the Bangladesh Road Transport Workers Federation.
The revelation he had made about straightening the risky road bends came only a day after a tragic road accident on Dhaka-Barisal Highway in Faridpur. At least 25 passengers were killed and 20 others injured in the mishap. Passengers travelling by the bus blamed reckless driving for the accident.
The people across the board have developed a strong distaste for staunch defending that the incumbent shipping minister often makes in public in relation to errant transport workers. Yet while visiting an under-construction Eco Park in Madaripur, the minister said the driver had cited a robbery attempt as the reason for the accident. Shajahan Khan said two committees are now trying to find out the actual reason for the accident.
One can be least assured that the people would ever know the 'actual' reason for the accident. In fact, the people hardly get an opportunity to know the reasons behind accidents that take place on air, land and rail routes. Where there is a government probe body the actual reason, in most cases remains buried in the heaps of typed papers. Knowing the ultimate outcome of the works done by the scores of government probe bodies, the people usually do not take any interest in those.
Thus, the issue of official investigation into the road accidents matters little to the families of 25 people who lost their lives in Friday's road accident. Every life is precious. It is more so for the families concerned. Except for the families of the victims, none can realize the extent of the loss and sufferings if their earning members fall victims to accidents.
But almost daily, on an average, 10 to 15 or even more people die in road accidents across the country. According to an unofficial estimate, 8,000 to 10,000 people are killed in road accidents and many more maimed--- some of them become physically incapacitated permanently---every year.
The problem is that all concerned have started accepting such a high number of road accidents more or less as a routine or inevitable affair. The government does not take any responsibility; it does not punish the motor vehicle drivers responsible for so many deaths. Nor it feels the necessity of extending any financial or other supports to the families of the victims. Also, it does not initiate any measure to help improve the living conditions of the people who have become physically handicapped due to road accidents.
There is no denying that bends on roads and highways are one of the major factors for fatal accidents. The drivers of motor vehicles, particularly those at the steering of public buses, are supposed to exercise caution while driving at the bends. But they do hardly do that and, on occasions, get involved in fatal accidents.
Road networks here have too many flaws, including unnecessary bends. It is often difficult to avoid bend for natural reasons. But in Bangladesh the bends on roads and highways are usually thrust upon the planners for meeting narrow individual or community interests. The route plans are amended through lobbying with the powerful quarters either to save someone's property or to facilitate better access of some particular places to roads and highways. This often leads to the creation of unnecessary bends on roads and highways making those risky for movement of motor vehicles.
Among all factors responsible for the rising number of road accidents, rash driving remains to be at the top of the list. There is no plausible reason on the ground to show that the relevant authorities are anyway interested to address this particular problem. Rather, a few public statements from the people in authority have emboldened the bus and truck operators to do whatever they want while at the steering.
The political use of transport workers in recent times has only increased their nuisance value. They have become more arrogant on the streets as they give a damn even to the traffic police or the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA). The way they operate passenger buses on roads and the bus owners hike fares at will do amply indicate to a near breakdown of discipline in the country's transport sector.
zahidmar10@gmail.com
Something beyond the road bends
Shamsul Huq Zahid | Published: April 13, 2015 00:00:00 | Updated: November 30, 2024 06:01:00
Share if you like