The Government of Bangladesh should enact a `Road Safety Law` in the light of the UN recommended Safe System Approach to reduce the number of deaths and injuries in road crashes. Marjana Muntaha, Coordinator of Ahsania Mission Youth Forum for Health and Wellbeing commented that the government should be more active for this.

“Youth Talk on Road Safety” organized by the Ahsania Mission Youth Forum for Health and Wellbeing held in the auditorium of the Dhaka Ahsania Mission in Dhanmondi, Dhaka on Thursday.

Marjana Muntaha, the keynote presenter emphasizes on the formulation of a comprehensive Road Safety law to strengthen safe roads for all. She also said that global road safety Although comprehensive activities have been observed worldwide but road safety in Bangladesh is relatively lagging behind. Although the Road Transport Act 2018 and the Rules 2022 have been issued but the issue of safe system approach including behavioral risk factors of road safety is not mentioned in the existing policies.

Drawing the attention of the government to enact a road safety law and its proper implementation, Member Secretary of Road Safety Movement (Nirapad Sarak Andolon) Tanjid Mohammad Sohrab Reza said safe roads are the basic right of all and it is the government`s responsibility to ensure our right. Youth should come forward to pressure create the government to complete their responsibilities properly.

Senior Reporter of Jago News, Tuhiduzzaman Tonmoy said that when there is a road crash, there is media coverage for a day or two but the report is not continued and the proper cause of the crash is not identified. As a result, every time either driver or the pedestrian is found guilty. The actions of those who are involved in road management including policy makers should come up in these reports.

Assistant Professor of ARI Kazi Md. Saifun Newaz said, road users especially, students, teachers, parents, car drivers, motorcycle users should be made aware of the safe use of the road by providing various trainings. In addition, forming a committee in every educational institution for the different road safety initiatives by the students is needed.