National Road Safety Day today

The National Road Safety Day is being 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), reports BSS.

President M Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Friday issued separate messages on the eve of the National Road Safety Day.

The President, in his message, said the number of vehicles on streets is rapidly increasing with the increase of developed road infrastructure in Bangladesh.

Road accidents and loss of life and property happen due to various reasons including competition of drivers, reckless overtaking, inefficiency in driving, overloading, lack of adequate rest for drivers, not obeying traffic laws by pedestrian and social unawareness, he added.

Developed communication infrastructure and up-to-date transport services are perquisites to sustainable socio-economic development, the head of the state said.

Abdul Hamid said the government is carrying out activities aimed at repairing, renovating and maintaining, developing and expanding the highway network and building an integrated modern public transport system.

Giving importance to easy and comfortable communication and road safety, various initiatives and activities including upgrading of highways to four or more lanes, construction of road dividers, simplification of dangerous turns, construction of flyovers, underpasses, overpasses, installation or reinstallation of traffic signs and signals, training of motorists are continuing, he continued.

The President underscored the need for acquiring knowledge of the relevant laws and regulations in ensuring road safety.

He urged all including transport owners, workers, passengers and pedestrians to know traffic rules and follow those.

"I hope that all concerned will be aware as well as perform their responsibilities properly to sustain the road safety programme," he said.

In her message, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said the Greatest Bangalee of All Time, Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman took different programmes and plans to build a modern road transport system in the war-ravaged Bangladesh.

Within the year of 1974, he rebuilt all the bridges destroyed during the Liberation War and made those usable, she said.

Besides, Bangabandhu built several new bridges along with the construction of new roads, she said, adding that during his visit to Japan in October 1973, he proposed the construction of a bridge over the Jamuna River to the Japanese government.

Following the footsteps of the Father of the Nation, the government made 15,128 kilometers (km) paved roads (Paka Sarak) in five years after the formation of the government in 1996, the premier said.

A total of 37,171 km roads were turned into 'Herringbone bond' shape, she added.

Moreover, about 6,526 km paved roads and 10,865 km rural roads were made under the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED), she said, adding that the government also constructed about 19,000 large, medium, small bridges and culverts.

"We started construction of many important bridges including Pakshi, Dharla, Doarika, Gabkhan, Rupsa, Surma (II) and Meghna Bridges," Sheikh Hasina continued.

She further said that after the formation of the Awami League-led government in 2009, all national highways in the country were gradually upgraded to four or more lanes by prioritizing road safety.

She added that the government has ushered in a new era in constructing and re-constructing new roads and bridges including construction of Metrorail, Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) lines, elevated expressways, flyovers, overpasses and underpasses.

"We built the Padma Bridge with our own funding and opened it for traffic on June 25," she said.

The government formed the taskforce to bring discipline in the road transport sector, create efficient drivers and control accidents, she said.

"Our government aims to establish a modern, technology-based, sustainable and safe highway network," she added.

She urged all to come forward in creating mass awareness to prevent road accidents and create a culture of obeying traffic laws in the country.

Both the President and the Prime Minister wished success of all programmes of the day.