Altogether 208 spots in Bangladesh’s roads and highways have been identified as ‘accident-prone areas’ in a research.
A report on the research, jointly conducted by PPRC and BRAC, was unveiled on Wednesday in Dhaka.
It says road accidents are taking place in a 57-kilometre stretch of nine national highways but the communications minister claimed “effective measures” had brought down the incidence of mishaps.
Obaidul Quader, taking part in the programme, said the government worked hard to prevent road accidents.
Eleven accident-prone spots on the key Dhaka-Aricha highway were expanded and road dividers were put in place at a cost of Tk 230 million, he said.
“No mishap took place on the Dhaka-Aricha highway during the Eid season [due to the preventive measures],” Quader said.
The minister said accidents were common on Chittagong’s Keranihat-Bandarban road.
But after the road’s expansion and levelling of uneven surface, there had been no mishap.
According to the research, 41 percent of the accidents were taking place near the bus terminals, 28 percent near the makeshift markets by the roads, and 18 percent at turns.
PPRC’s Executive Chairman Zillur Rahman said the number of deaths against the number of vehicles had come down over the past decade.
In 2000, the number of deaths in road accidents against 10,000 vehicles was 75. The number was 20 deaths in 2011.
Minister Quader criticised the report for not identifying speed-breakers as reasons for accidents.
He dubbed speed-breakers as “a serious issue” saying, “It is one of the main reasons for mishaps.”
“I can’t do certain things even if I want to,” Quader said expressing his helplessness.
“I face obstructions from various quarters while doing my job… there are political reasons, too.
“The public representatives at times create obstructions. They don’t let the administration work freely.
“The interests of many are involved,” the minister lamented.
Source: Bd news24