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DHAKA, May 28, 2025 (BSS) – Out of the hospitalized patients injured in road accidents, 22.8 percent are pedestrians and 4.2 percent are cyclists.

This information was revealed today at a view-exchange meeting organized on the occasion of UN Global Road Safety Week-2025 at the conference room of the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) headquarters in the city.

BRTA in collaboration with the National Heart Foundation Hospital and Research Institute organised the meeting.

Citing a recent study conducted in the country, it was reported that the injured spent 11 and 9 days in hospital, respectively, and the average medical expenses per patient were Taka 27,532 and Taka 18,952.

BRTA Chairman (Grade-1) Md Yasin presided over the meeting while Director of BRTA's Road Safety Wing Shitangshu Shekhar Biswas delivered the welcome speech.

Project Manager of the Road Safety and Injury Prevention Program Mohammad Wali Noman delivered the keynote speech.

 At the keynote speech, Mohammad Wali Noman said that one of the leading causes of death worldwide is road crashes.

“Every year, about 1.2 million people lose their lives on the roads and about 50 million are injured. It is also the leading cause of death for young people aged from 5 to 29,” he added.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the global pedestrian death rate has been increased by 3 percent between 2010 and 2021 and the rate for cyclists increased by 20 percent.

In this situation, the 'Safe System Approach' is being considered as an effective method to save lives and ensure road safety. The implementation of this method in Europe has reduced the death rate by 36 percent. In Sweden, the death rate is only 2.8 per lakh.

National Heart Foundation President Professor Khandaker Abdul Awal Rizvi said setting speed limits for vehicles is very important to reduce accidents in the city.

“It is possible to ensure the safety of vulnerable road users only through infrastructural development, speed limit control, increasing public awareness and enactment of appropriate laws," he added.

In his speech, the BRTA Chairman said all parties concerned must work together to ensure road safety.

BRTA has already issued the 'Motor Vehicle Speed ??Limit Guidelines 2024' and effective initiatives will be taken to enact road safety laws, he added.