A student helping a traffic police to ensure discipline on the busy main road at Bangshal in Old Dhaka on Tuesday. The home adviser on Monday announced that 300 students would work alongside the police personnel in the capital from Oct 21 to Nov 4 to improve traffic management in the capital. — FE Photo Muhammad Fouzul Kabir Khan, adviser to Bridges Division and Road Transport and Highways Division (RTHD), said an increase in road accidents is not just a matter of statistics, but a humanitarian issue.
He made the remark while addressing a discussion programme, organised to mark the National Road Safety Day in the capital's Osmani Memorial Auditorium on Tuesday.
"Loss of lives means loss of breadwinners and talented individuals as well," said Fouzul Kabir.
Mentioning the inability of all the agencies concerned in reducing the number of road accidents over the years, the adviser said the young generation has provided directions to all on efficient traffic management. The nation has learned a lot from the youth on road safety, referring to the contribution of the young generation in this regard.
Recalling the students' role in traffic control in 2018 and 2024, he said they would also show the path to ensure road safety for all.
The adviser noted that the government decided to provide compensation to the family members of Tasnim Jahan, a student killed in a road accident involving two racing buses on October 9.
The adviser handed over a cheque to Tasnim's father.
Route permit and fitness certificate of a bus was cancelled immediately after media reports were published on the matter.
"Even the BRTA official who issued the fitness certificate was punished," he added.
The RTHD has been observing the National Road Safety Day in the country on October 22 since 2017 to commemorate the death of the wife of ex-film actor Ilias Kanchan.
Meanwhile, the number of road accidents since then was recorded 39,539 with the highest 6,261 accidents in 2023 and the lowest 4,891 in 2020.
Both the number of deaths and injuries in these road accidents were also high during the last seven years, recording a total of 54,821 deaths with the highest 9,951 in 2022 and the lowest 6,686 in 2020. In the case of injuries, the total number was recorded 85,356.
RTHD Secretary Mohammad Ehsansul Hoque presided over the programme, where Public Security Division Senior Secretary Dr Mohammad Abdul Monem and BRTA Chairman Mohammad Yasin also spoke.
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