Funded by WB, dedicated road safety project launched

With US$358 million in financing from the World Bank, a dedicated road safety project has been launched to reduce accidents on two national highways connected to five divisions and urban roads.
According to officials, the road safety pilot project will be implemented on two national highways: Gazipur to Elenga and Natore to Nawabganj.
The project will focus on comprehensive road safety measures, including improved engineering designs, signage and marking, pedestrian facilities, speed enforcement and emergency care.
To enhance safety on the highways and urban roads in the Dhaka, Khulna, Rajshahi, Rangpur and Mymensingh divisions, the project will install road signs, dividers, footpaths, raised zebra crossings, speed breakers and bus bays.
This innovative project would bring a new dimension to the country's road infrastructure, which has already undergone a remarkable transformation, said Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader while launching the project in Dhaka on Wednesday.
The project, funded by the World Bank, is the first dedicated scheme in South Asia to prevent traffic fatalities. It aims to decrease traffic-related deaths by over 30 per cent.
Obaidul Quader said the government has already set examples of revolutionary changes in infrastructure, such as the construction of the Padma Bridge, metro rails and expressways. However, these achievements are overshadowed by the occurrence of fatal road accidents, claiming the lives of individuals and even entire families.
Despite the sense of relief brought about by infrastructure developments like the Padma Bridge, these achievements are marred by fatal accidents, commented Quader, who is also the general secretary of the ruling Awami League.
The event was jointly organised by the Road Transport and Highways Division and the World Bank. The speakers included Sharifa Khan, secretary of the Economic Relations Division (ERD); Abdoulaye Seck, World Bank country director for Bangladesh & Bhutan; Fei Deng, World Bank practice manager for Transport in South Asia; and Guangzhe Chan, World Bank vice president for Infrastructure.
The session was chaired by ABM Amin Ullah Nuri, secretary of the Road Transport and Highways Division. Dipan Bose, senior transport specialist and the World Bank Task team leader for the Bangladesh Road Safety Project, also delivered speeches.
Welcoming the World Bank's financing for the road safety project, including budgetary support, Obaidul Quader softened the government's criticism of the World Bank regarding the withdrawal of funds from the Padma Multipurpose Bridge project.
He said that the government does not solely blame the bank as there had been a "deep misunderstanding" regarding the project implementation.
Road Transport Secretary Amin Ullah Nuri said road crashes resulting in deaths and serious injuries represent a public health crisis in the country and incur a substantial loss of the GDP.
He hoped that by involving the Roads and Highways Department, Highway Police, and the Director General of Health Services, a positive impact on the economy would be visible, contributing to GDP growth.
The secretary underscored that the road safety improvement programme adopts an integrated approach to establish safe road transportation and enhance potential activities such as contributing to GDP growth, industrial development, attracting new investments, generating substantial employment opportunities and overall improving the socio-economic conditions of people, leading to a positive impact on the national economy.
World Bank Country Director Abdoulaye Seck said the World Bank estimates the costs associated with traffic crashes to be as high as 5 per cent of the GDP. Road safety is not only a global concern but also a critical development agenda for the South Asia region, including Bangladesh.
"Bangladesh's rapid economic growth has spurred rapid urbanisation, investment in high-speed highways and a rapid increase in motorised vehicles, especially two-wheelers. Unfortunately, this has also resulted in a sharp rise in deadly road crashes. Too many lives have been lost and many more individuals live with disabilities. Numerous dreams have been shattered and without adequate safety measures, many families have abruptly faced severe economic hardships," he added.
According to the World Bank, road traffic accidents, which eat up 5 per cent of the GDP annually and account for 70 per cent of pedestrian, cyclist, and non-motorised user fatalities, can be prevented through safety measures such as improved engineering designs, signage and marking, pedestrian facilities, speed enforcement and emergency care.

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