National Road Safety Day observed

The National Road Safety Day was observed in the country in a befitting manner on Saturday.

This year's theme of the day is 'Ain Meney Sorokey Choli, Nirapodey Ghorey Phiri (Let us follow the law on road and return home safely)

In Rajshahi, the administrative officials and other stakeholders came up with the observation while addressing a post-rally discussion to mark the day.

Rajshahi Circle of Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) and District administration jointly hosted the meeting at the office conference hall of the Deputy Commissioner.

This year's theme of the day is 'Ain Meney Sorokey Choli, Nirapodey Ghorey Phiri (Let us follow the law on the road and return home safely".

Deputy Commissioner (Traffic) of Rajshahi Metropolitan Police Anirban Chakma, Additional Superintendent of Police Abu Saleh Ashraful Alam and BRTA Director Sheikh Ashraqur Rahman addressed the discussion as resource persons disseminating their expertise on the issue with Additional District Magistrate Sabiha Sultana in the chair.

Executive Engineer of Local Government Engineering Department Nasir Uddin, Executive Engineer of Road Division Abdul Hakim, BRTA Deputy Director Kamrul Hassan, local unit president of Nirapad Sarak Chai Advocate Towfique Ahsan, Editor of Daily Sonali Sangbad Liakat Ali and President of Rajshahi Press Club Saidur Rahman also spoke on the occasion.

The discussants unequivocally called for strict enforcement of traffic rules to reduce road accidents.

If drivers drive their vehicles carefully the existing number of road accidents could be reduced to a greater extent.

Steps have also been taken to incorporate the issue of road accidents and their causes and prevention in the course curriculum besides other various programmes to reduce the country's road accidents by 50 per cent within the next 15 years, he added.

BRTA Assistant Director Engineer Abdul Khaleque said the country experienced over 5,472 road accidents last year that claimed over 5,000 lives and injured 9,339 people.

Around 150 persons comprising government officials, human rights activists, leaders of road transport workers and representatives of transport owners' associations were present at the meeting.

In Mongla, a colourful rally was brought out on the occasion of National Road Safety Day.

Besides, leaflet distribution activities were conducted to make the transport owners, drivers, passengers and pedestrians aware of safe movement on the road. People of different classes and professions participated in it.

The administration organised a meeting after the rally at upazila parishad square. Mongla Upazila Nirbahi Officer Kamlesh Majumdar presided over the meeting as upazila parishad chairman Abu Taher Howlader spoke as the chief guest.

The speakers discussed various causes and prevention methods of road accidents and expressed their commitment to working together to reduce road accidents and create public awareness.