News Desk : dhakamirror.com
The government, in cooperation with the World Bank, launched a Tk 5,000 crore project to improve road safety and reduce the number of fatalities and injuries in road accidents.
The Road Safety Project, funded by the World Bank with US$358 million, aims to reduce the number of deaths and injuries from traffic accidents in selected cities, high-risk highways and district roads.
In two national highways, Gazipur-Elenga and Natore to Nawabganj, the project will pilot comprehensive road safety measures, including improved engineering designs, signing and marking, pedestrian facilities, speed enforcement, and emergency care.
These measures will help reduce road traffic deaths by more than 30% on these two highways.
To make the highways and urban roads safer, in five divisions – Dhaka, Khulna, Rajshahi, Rangpur, and Mymensingh – the project will install road signs, dividers, footpaths, raised zebra crossings, speed breakers, and bus bays.
Addressing as chief guest, Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader said, “The project will support Bangladesh in its commitment to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals on road safety by 2030.
“It will help modernise the capacity of the traffic police and highway patrol to manage speeding and prevent risky behaviour on roads. To control speed, the project will Install CCTV on roads, and construct an electric messaging system. It will make provision for patrol vehicles and crash site cleaning equipment. It will also support the government to strengthen institutions to effectively manage road safety across the country.”
Abdoulaye Seck, World Bank country director for Bangladesh and Bhutan, said, “Road safety affects us all. Road crashes are the fourth leading cause of children’s death in Bangladesh and youth are disproportionately affected. Road fatalities and injuries are personal and family tragedies, and they undermine a country’s growth and human development. For Bangladesh, improving road safety is a key development priority.
“Through this project and other ongoing initiatives, the World Bank is helping Bangladesh make roads safer for its people.”
“Fast access to medical facilities and trauma care is crucial in saving lives from road crashes. The project will pilot Ambulance services, including bike-ambulances, with a toll-free number to take road crash victime to the hospital quickly along selected highways and roads. Further, the project will upgrade trauma care facilities in selected district hospitals, and Upazila Health Complexes”, he added.
The Roads and Highways Department, Bangladesh Road Transport Authority, Bangladesh Police, Directorate General of Health Services of the Government of Bangladesh will work together to implement the project.
