Dhaka:Road Transport and Bridges Minister Shaikh Rabiul Alam has urged all stakeholders to collaborate in ensuring road safety, highlighting the loss of invaluable lives on roads daily.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, Alam emphasized the necessity of accountability and cooperation from all parties involved to improve road safety during a discussion at Tejgaon's Sarak Bhaban, held in observance of National Road Safety Day 2026.
The minister identified several key factors contributing to road accidents, including reckless driving, unfit vehicles, pedestrian carelessness, faulty roads, and negligence by stakeholders such as traffic police. He called for cooperation from concerned associations and experts to address these issues effectively.
Alam reiterated the government's commitment to enacting a comprehensive road safety law by 2027 and mentioned Bangladesh's pledge at the United Nations to reduce road crash deaths and injuries by half by 2030.
He noted various government initiatives aimed at enhancing road safety, such as updating helmet standards, enforcing speed limits, improving post-crash medical care, constructing underpasses, and enhancing road safety data management. Despite these efforts, Alam acknowledged the lack of coordinated initiatives and insufficient awareness about personal safety as obstacles to achieving desired progress.
The event also featured speeches from State Minister Habibur Rashid, Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Labour and Employment Ministry Shamsur Rahman Shimul Biswas, and Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Road Transport and Bridges Rakibul Islam. Experts, academics, and leaders from road transport workers and owners associations attended the event.
National Road Safety Day was celebrated on October 22, but events were organized later as the date fell on a holiday.