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DHAKA, April 16, 2025 (BSS) - Speakers at a meeting today underlined the need for addressing road safety issue through data driven interventions aimed at reducing road crashes across the country.
 
Credible data systems, comprehensive road safety law, effective enforcement, controlling over speed, seatbelt, use of standard helmet, ensure safer road design and comprehensive mass media campaigns are needed to reduce road traffic fatalities, they said.

The speakers made the remarks at ‘Bangladesh Road Safety Meeting’ held at a city hotel, which was jointly organized by Road Transport and Highway Division, Bloomberg Philanthropies Initiative for Global Road Safety (BIGRS) in collaboration with Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC), Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP), Chattogram City Corporation (CCC) and Chattogram Metropolitan Police (CMP).

Senior Secretary of road transport and highway division Md Ehsanul Haque delivered the inaugural speech of the day-long meeting as the chief guest.

Director of Bloomberg Philanthropies Kelly Larson, Chief Executive Officer of DNCC Abu Sayed Md Kamruzzaman, Additional Police Commissioner (Traffic) of DMP Md Sarwar, CEO of CCC SM Tauhidul Islam and Taifur Rahman of Global Road Safety Partnership (GRSP) attended the meeting as special guests.

Md Abdul Wadud of Initiative Coordinator of BIGRS moderated the programme.
Md Ehsanul Haque reiterated the government’s commitment to create a comprehensive road safety law based on the principles of Safe System Approach.

“We are engaging GO-NGOs stakeholders to draft the law. We will be able to make more positive changes in relation to road safety in Bangladesh in coming days,” he said.

He thanked international partners for their support and sharing the best practices.

Kelly Larson said Bloomberg Philanthropies through BIGRS, has been working on road safety to save lives in 27 locations in world, while Dhaka and Chattogram joined in the initiative in 2020.

“Both cities are working with international partners to make the roads safer. The government notified speed limit guidelines that set maximum national speed of 80 kmph in alignment with global best practices,” Larson said.

The DNCC completed the Safe School Zone at Banani and Safer Neighborhood projects at Mohammadpur intersection.

Moreover, 160 city planners and engineers of DNCC were trained in safer road design, DNCC CEO said.

Additional Police Commissioner of DMP said that DMP is collaborating with DNCC and shared its road crash data to analyze high-risk situations and collaborated with GRSP to organize training for police on various road safety issues.

Representatives from DNCC and CCC highlighted recent progress in identifying road-crash spots and redesigning high-risk intersections, installing speed-limiting measures, improving pedestrian infrastructure, engaging journalists and media in both cities.

The DMP and CMP collaborated with GRSP and trained police officers on enforcement and speeding.

The DNCC and DMP jointly launched the Road Safety Situation in Dhaka based on road crash data report 2023.
 
The report showed 117 fatal crashes in 2023 claimed 123 lives within DNCC jurisdiction.

Among the victims 61 percent were pedestrians followed by 24 percent bikers.
The report recommended the authorities ensure pedestrian-friendly road infrastructures in the city, use of quality helmets and reduce speeding of motor vehicles and enforce laws.

Among others, Dr Shariful Alam of Global Health Advocacy Incubator (GHAI), Dipan Bose of World Bank’s Global Road Safety Facility (GRSF), Dr Watin Alam of World Health Organization, Iliyas Kanchan of Nirapad Sarak Chai, Dr Salim Mahmud Chowdhury of Center for Injury Prevention and Research Bangladesh (CIPRB), Brett Harman of GRSP, Aminul Islam Sujon of Vital Strategies, Farzana Islam of WRI, Dr Tanvir Ibne Ali, Surveillance Coordinator of BIGRS-Dhaka, Mamunur Rahman, Senior Road Safety Specialist of Dhaka Transport Coordination Authority (DTCA) shared their views.

Participants agreed on the importance of continued investment in evidence-based interventions, improved coordination among agencies, and the need for enhanced public engagement to foster a culture of road safety.

In the closing session, Grant Ennis, Deputy Director of Vital Strategies, Dr M Ziaul Haque, Additional Secretary of roads and highway division, Sitangshu Shekhar Biswas, Director (Road Safety) of Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA), Lievanta Millar, Bloomberg Philanthropies, Asfiquzzaman, Additional Police Commissioner of CMP spoke on the occasion.