Stop anarchy on roads

We cannot spend a single day without public transports. However, anarchy still persists on the roads and highways across the country leading to frequent accidents and claiming lots of lives. There seems to be no rule of law on our country's roads. According to a study conducted by Nirapad Sarak Chai, a platform for road safety movement, as many as 4,092 road accidents took place across Bangladesh in 2020, taking 4,969 lives and injuring 5,058 more people. Meanwhile, in the first eight months of 2021, a total of 3,701 road accidents took place across the country, killing at least 3,502 people and injuring 3,479 others, says a report by the Bangladesh Police.

The causes behind this chaotic situation are many. Most of the buses that are plying on the roads do not have route permits and fitness certificates. The drivers hardly have valid licences. Sometimes, it is even seen that the driver's assistant is driving the vehicle instead of the driver. Cars are being parked haphazardly.

It is important to take effective steps to stop anarchy on the road. To do so, it should be mandatory for every driver to have a valid licence. The authorities concerned should pay special attention so that vehicles cannot move without route permit. The entire traffic should be modernised and digitised. Implementation of traffic laws is the need of the hour.

Shah Muntacher Hossain Mihan,

Student of Department of Social Work,

Noakhali Science and Technology University,

[email protected]