Villain to transport workers, real hero to people
Noted actor Ilias Kanchan's relentless road safety movement for long 26 years though has turned him into a villain, sometimes, to the transport owners and workers but simultaneously he is the real hero to the country people who always support him.
Zahanara Begum, wife of Ilias Kanchan, met her tragic end in a fatal road accident in 1993. Wife's death left the road safety campaigner heartbroken.
But the former film star Ilias Kanchan turned his woe into strength and started work to ensure people's safety on road.
He launched road safety movement 'Nirapad Sarak Chai' in 1993. Since then, long 26 years elapsed but it continues.
His road safety movement made country people conscious and it gained support from people of all walks of life.
The transport workers have been continuing undeclared strike across country for last couple of days demanding amendment to the Road Transport Act, 2018 that came into effect on November 1 and was enforced from November 18.
When the much-talked road transport was enacted and people started hoping that now number of road accidents will come down, strike enforced by the transport workers astonished actor Ilias Kanchan. He has begun to make the worker understand to comply with the law that is for discipline on road at large, not to punish them but they did not pay heed to.
And he has become cause of their annoyance. The transport workers burned his effigy and photo, and reportedly tried to humiliate him but he is firm to continue the movement.
Shilpi Samiti general secretary Jayed Khan said all artists showed solidarity with his movement and stood by him.
A man wrote on his facebook post, 'He (Ilias Kanchan) does nothing wrong but sought amendment to the transport act, took to street demanding road safety and tried to create awareness among driver-passenger-pedestrian all."
Ilias Kanchan wanted none like his wife dies on road, leaving their near and dear ones devastated. That is why he formed Nirapad Sarak Chai.
Those stood against him and condemn his acts, he told them, "I firmly want to say the road transport act has been made to bring discipline back on road and reduce road accident, not for punishing and jailing anyone or realizing fine from them without cause."
He said there is no reason to fear jail or fine if anyone does not commit offense.
"If you comply with the law properly, discipline will come back on road and you will not face jail or fine, so why you fear," he said.
Ilias Kanchan urged vehicle drivers not to create public sufferings by observing strike, rather to correct self, make genuine license, vehicle registration and fitness certificate, and gain skill.
He also told the transport workers to review the new law in which none, specially drivers, has specifically been held responsible or targeted. Rather, it said increase of their professional dignity, fixation of working hour, appointment and convenient environment in vehicle driving.
The road safety campaigner also said if implementation of the law is disrupted in pressure from any quarter, death on road and groaning of road accident victims' relatives will continue.
"So we think if the government moves to change its mentality in proper application and implementation of the law, 18 crore people will lose and alongside Bangladesh will also lose," he said.
