Bangladesh Jatri Kalyan Samiti (BJKS) on Saturday called upon all political parties to include concrete and actionable plans in their election manifestos aiming at curbing the country's increasingly growing number of road accidents and crippling traffic congestion.
BJKS Secretary General Md Mozammel Haque Chowdhury made the appeal at a discussion titled "Passenger Rights Day" at Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU) in the capital.
He said that, 86,690 people have lost their lives in road accidents, while another 1,503,257 have been injured during the last 11 years.
Citing World Bank data, Mr Chowdhury said that in the capital alone, 3.2 million working hours are being wasted every day due to traffic gridlock, incurring an annual economic loss of approximately Tk 980 billion.
He said that fuel wastage alone amounts to around Tk 110 billion per year.
"These are not just statistics rather they represent a national emergency demanding immediate political will and systemic reform," he said.
He said that beyond the financial toll, it also creates a devastating impact on public health.
"Prolonged exposure to traffic jams isn't just costing us time and money - it's eroding our physical and mental wellbeing," said Mr Md Mozammel Haque Chowdhury.
"Health experts confirm that chronic traffic stress is weakening our immune systems, triggering high blood pressure, respiratory illnesses, heart disease, kidney dysfunction, and even reproductive issues," he maintained.
"Noise and air pollution from idling vehicles are compounding these risks. And psychologically, citizens are becoming increasingly irritable and anxious - so much so that studies suggest the risk of family breakdown rises by 50 per cent due to daily commuting stress," he continued.
"There is growing evidence linking traffic-induced stress and pollution to impaired cognitive development in children and neurological damage. Many now believe the frustration and idleness bred by endless traffic jams are contributing factors behind rising youth risk-taking, unemployment, and social unrest," he mentioned.
He termed the 2018 Road Transport Act as a failed legislative effort, arguing that it ignored the voices of passengers and civil society and failed to address root causes.
"Without a robust, efficient public transport system, citizens have been forced into unsafe, unregulated alternatives - ride-sharing motorcycles, easy-bikes, and auto-rickshaws now dominate our roads. Fifty-six per cent of commuters rely on private vehicles simply because there is no viable public option," he said.
He blamed "corruption and misguided policies" of the previous administration for allowing traffic chaos from urban centres to villages and port cities.
"The 'new Bangladesh' that emerged at the cost of thousands of student and civilian lives has yet to initiate a single meaningful reform in the road transport sector," he said.
"We are not asking for vague promises. We want commitments: investment in mass transit, strict enforcement of traffic laws, redesign of urban mobility, and accountability for transport operators. Thousands of lives depend on it," he said.
Professor Dr. Major (Retd.) Abdul Wahab Minar, senior vice chairman of the AB Party; Faruk Hasan, senior vice president of the People's Rights Council; Deepak Roy, central secretary of the People's Solidarity Movement; Ariful Islam Adeeb, senior joint convener of the National Citizens Party; former association chairman Sharif Rafiquzzaman; and Supreme Court lawyers Md. Yasin Chowdhury and Md. Billal Hossain, attended the event, among others.
talhabinhabib@yahoo.com
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