Speakers at an event on Monday urged the government to enact an effective 'road safety law' immediately, taking the safety of the passengers and the pedestrians into consideration.
They made the observations at a dialogue titled " Road Safety and Injury Prevention Programme", jointly organised by National Heart Foundation of Bangladesh and Bangladesh Orthopaedic Society held at CIRDAP auditorium in the city.
Presenting the keynote paper of the event, Manager of Bangladesh Road Safety Injury and Prevention Programme Mohammad Wali Noman said on an average 5,000 people die and many others are injured annually in the county due to road accidents.
The foundation and its coalition partners also called for a separate or greatly expanded law that includes comprehensive regulations on vehicle safety, seatbelts, speed limits, and helmet usage.
Discussants demanded inclusion of provisions in the proposed law for ensuring the treatment and rehabilitation of accident victims and legal protection for those who assist them.
They also advocated for a new law that aligns with the five pillars of road safety, as recognised by the United Nations.
Chairman of Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) Abu Momtaz Saad Uddin Ahmad said it is not possible for a single organisation to ensure road safety.
He stressed the need for a united effort from all concerned to help reduce road crash casualties by about 50 per cent.
Mr. Ahmad said the government is ready to take all necessary measures if it gets support from all concerned.
Meanwhile, following a wider call from different sectors the government has pledged to prioritise and enact a road safety law by 2027.
BRAC Road Safety Programme Manager M Khalid Mahmud, Dhaka Divisional Commissioner Sharof Uddin Ahmad Chowdhury, additional secretary (Road Transport and Highways) Nikhil Kumar Das were, among others, present at the programme.
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