Dhaka-Tangail highway becomes death trap

No killer driver punished during last 11 years
A total of 1,316 cases were lodged in  the  police stations in Tangail during the last 11 years in connection with road accidents but nobody was prosecuted.
At least 1,564 people were killed and 4,054  injured in 1,316 road accidents in the district during this period, sources said.
The Bangabandhu Jamuna Multipurpose Bridge (BJMB) was opened for vehicular movement on July 23, 1998. Since then the Dhaka-Tangail highway over the BJMB has become a death trap.  Many injured persons have become disabled. They are passing sub-human life after losing their limbs.
The number of accidents is on the rise. The causes of road accidents are stated to be reckless driving, overtaking, carrying roof-top passengers on the buses overloaded trucks, mechanical disorders of the vehicles, violation of traffic rules, lack of awareness of the drivers and the pedestrians, lack of education of the drivers and  narrow roads etc. The fatal accidents occurred on  April 16, 2008 killing 18 at the Rajabari rail crossing and 18 people were killed and 50  injured at Hoteya on April 18 the same year. A total of 28 truck passengers were killed and 10 others injured at the Rabna bypass in the same year. At least 12 people were killed and 21 injured in three road accidents in May, 2010.
It is gathered that about 1,500 people have become permanently  disabled due to the accidents during the time.
 Sorowar Jahan,  Inspector of Tangail BRTA,  said that about 14 to 15 thousand buses, trucks, lorries and heavy vehicles ply the road daily from 22 districts of the north and south-west region. The highway being narrow, road accidents occur frequently.
Traffic Inspector Rafiqul Islam said that the 85 km road from Kaliakore to BJMB is narrow. There are many old and vulnerable bridges on the road. Thanks to the reckless drivers,  accidents are on the rise. Deputy Commissioner of Tangail Bazlul Karim Chowdhury directed the district administration, the police administration and BRTA to jointly arrange training to the bus and truck drivers. By this time,  500 drivers were imparted training. He added that they had  sent the recommendations to the government to turn the 85 km roads into four-lanes road.
From sources in the Tangail police it is gathered that separate cases were lodged with Tangail, Jamuna East, Kalihati, Mirzapur, Delduwar and the Basail police stations. But no killer driver has been tried. The affected persons and the witnesses  do not show any interest in going  to the courts. The relatives of the dead or injured persons compromise with the killer drivers with the help of the local driver’s Associations. It is gathered that out of total 1,316 cases,  nobody was tried during the last 11 years.

Courtesy of The Independent