Road accidents go on unabated
Tuesday, 2 October 2018
Yet another road accident resulted in another death in Dhaka - this time a marketing officer of a private television channel died at the Jahangir Gate near Dhaka Cantonment on September 29. The 40-year-old Anwar Hossain was on his motorcycle, heading for office when a bus rammed into the two-wheeler. The bus then ran over his legs. After he was taken to Kurmitola General Hospital in a critical condition, he breathed his last around 12:45pm while on treatment.
It is sad and painful to see any human life taken away unnaturally. This pain had driven many children and young students to take to the streets in August calling for safer roads. The government had asked them to return home and assured that there would be changes. But still we see no significant improvement.
The number of deaths on the highway and roads are not decreasing. A survey showed that accidents cause damages worth Tk 60,000 million every year.
The accidents are caused by reckless driving, violating traffic laws, jaywalking and more. Stricter laws and regulations can address some of these problems. Others can be improved by bringing about changes in the way commuters, pedestrians and bus drivers regard road safety.
Tareq Hossain
Topkhana Road, Dhaka