Experts call for new road safety law on day of remembrance for road traffic victims
The World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims is observed in memory of those injured or killed in road crashes each year on the third Sunday of November
Experts called for the formulation of a new road safety law in accordance with safety strategies outlined by the United Nations.
"To minimise road fatalities, it is imperative to make roads safer," experts said during a seminar organised today (19 November) on the occasion of the World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims.
The Road Safety Coalition Bangladesh, in collaboration with the Bangladesh Orthopedic Society and the National Heart Foundation of Bangladesh, organised this seminar and a rally.
Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel
The World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims is observed in memory of those injured or killed in road crashes each year on the third Sunday of November.
This year's theme is "Remember. Support. Act."
This year, a seminar was held on this day at the auditorium of the National Institute of Traumatology & Orthopaedic Rehabilitation (Nitor).
The chief guest in the seminar was Awami League Praesidium Member Simeen Hussain Rimi.
"Various vehicles operate on our roads in an unregulated manner, leading to an increase in accidents. It is necessary to ensure proper enforcement of laws to prevent road accidents and to foster a sense of awareness and willingness to abide by the law," she said.
Nitor Director Dr Kazi Shamim Uzzaman said that there is a disagreement over the number of deaths on the roads in our country.
"However, the fact that road fatalities are occurring is undeniable and preventable. Hence, it is necessary to formulate road safety laws, following the safety strategies recognized by the United Nations, similar to developed countries," he said.
Dr Shariful Alam, the in-country coordinator for the Global Health Advocacy Incubator, said, "To truly solve a problem, reality must be accepted. To stop the procession of deaths on the road, it is essential first to uncover the actual number of road fatalities and then address them.
"Furthermore, the existing road transport laws and regulations have not given enough importance to making roads safe. Therefore, it is imperative to formulate a separate Road Safety Law to ensure road safety," he added.
