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Road Accidents

Is there Any Way Out from This Crying Game?

CROSSCURRENTS

by CAF Dowlah
***Besides killing thousands of people and breaking hearts of millions, these accidents cost the nation billions of taka each year. The problem is, the policy makers seem to be as helpless as the victims of such a mindless slaughtering of human beings..***
Bangladesh is not a land of highways or freeways, it's not a motorised society either — most people here haven't seen anything like that. But when It comes to road accidents, this country seems to be competing for world records. According to some authoritative reports, the death toll of road accidents in the country is fifty times more than that in Japan or Britain. What is more shocking is that while in the developed world only two persons get injured or killed per 10,000 registered automobiles, in this sparsely motorised country the rate is at least 29 times higher.
In average 3.000 road accidents took place in the country between 1987 and 1996. that killed 17,311 people and injured 29255 others. Obviously, besides killing thousands of people and breaking hearts of millions, these accidents cost the nation billions of taka each year. The problem is. the policy makers seem to be as helpless as the victims of such a mindless slaughtering of human beings.
Reports suggest that in just 11 months — between June 1996 to April 1997 — a total of 4,721 road accidents took place In the country killing 2,607 and Injuring 4.554 people. In this and the last month alone, several hundred people were killed in road accidents. The biggest one at Kallhatl literally shocked the entire nation. Many people Just shudder when the occasion comes to visit near and dear ones in rural areas, as more than 80 per cent of all these accidents take place in the rural sections of the country's main highway system.
And there are good reasons to be worried about it. In fact.
astronomical rates of road accidents remain a characteristic phenomenon In the country, especially since 1990. In that year alone, a total of 3.167 road accidents took place in the country that killed 1.844 people and injured 2,687 others. Over the years, since 1990. in average 3.375 road accidents took place in the country that killed 1,703 people and injured 2,922 others each year. The problem Is, while In the developed world, rates of accidents and associated deaths and injuries are falling, here, in this country. It is on the rise.
In England, for example, the number of people killed or seriously injured in 1995 fell by two per cent compared with 1994. knd by 38 per cent compared with the 1981-85 average. In the United States, where automobiles remain the single greatest cause of accidents, death rate stood at 34.9 per 100.000 people in 1991, compared to 85.9 per 100,000 people in 1936. The number keeps falling.
Given world records, the magnitude of road accidents as well as associated killings and injuries In Bangladesh Is undoubtedly astounding, but It Is by no way mind boggling or puzzling. Bangladesh does provide a fertile land for such a crying game. All the players — the administrative authorities the passengers, the bus-truck owners and drivers, the police force — everybody seem to be en thuslastic partners in this dis astrous game. The problem Is. when the ultimate penalty of death strikes, all of them do not reqiain on the same boat. Only
the fateful face the death and deadly injuries, the others remain alive to play the games over and over again.
Of course, there are hundreds of reasons that may be respon sible in some way or other for the astronomical rates of road accidents and related deaths and injuries In the country. But does it take a genius, or an inquiry committee of geniuses for tnat matter, to figure out that dangerous road conditions, defective buses and trucks, ill-
trained and unskilled drivers, inefficient and dishonest transport authorities and police officials are primarily responsible for recurrence of such fateful accidents day after day. month after month, year after year?
Currently Bangladesh has a total of 2.539 kilometre of national highways — that connect the capital city with divisional and old district headquarters and International highways and 2.670 kilometre of regional highways — that connect differ ent regions of the country with each other. But only 75 per cent of these highways and 52 per cent of regional roads are two-lane paved roads. None of the
two-lane paved roads, except perhaps in the metropolitan areas, have road dividers, so that chances for collisions of vehicles from opposite directions could be reduced. Although about 50 per cent of these roads are in poor condition, they carry most of road traffic load because road densities, especially in terms of paved roads, is still very poor in the country. While road densities per 1.000 population is '1 km in China. 1.5 km in India. 2.5 km in Ko-
rea. 27 km in USA. Bangladesh has a density of 0.2 km only per 1.000 population.
The situation is further aggravated by a phenomenal increase of motorised and nonmotorised vehicles on the streets. The mechanised vehicle fleet of the country increased from 250.000 In 1989 to 350.000 In 1994. reflecting and annual Increase of 7 per cent. During the same period, the bus/mini bus and truck fleet reglstered-an average annual Increase of 4 per cent and 5 per cent respectively. The most phenomenal growth has been, however. In the fleet of auto rickshaws and motorcycles. which grew by 15 per cent and 7 per cent respectively.
And then there are nonmechanised fleet of cycle-rickshaws, rickshaw-vans, pushcarts. bullock carts — besides orchestrating one of the most panoramic Jigsaw puzzles of traffic systems in the world, together they make up about 85 per cent of traffic in the country. One advantage of this, however. is that in the city areas rates of accident and relevant fatalities is very low. because they serve as the most effective speed-breakers one can ever imagine.
What can be expected from such unfortunate conditions of roadways and overall traffic systems in Bangladesh, except perhaps frequent accidents, deaths and destructions? The government that currently spends about 5.5 per cent of its development budget (both foreign and local funds) on rural roads and relevant works, keeps on increasing its dependence on donor agencies for new road constructions. According to a recent remark of the communications minister, it is difficult to convince the donors about the economics of new constructions. The question is: why must the nation continue to depend on donors for all its needs? Why a nation that can spend 500 million US dollars each year to protects Jobs of 1 per cent of Its laborforce employed in the state-sector enterprises can't spend even half of it for the welfare of the whole population?
Besides road conditions, perhaps the single most factor that can be held responsible for reckless road accidents would
be the mind-boggling levels of corruption in transport authorities and the police administration. Reports suggest that most drivers do not have valid driving licenses, most vehicles don't have valid fitness certificates. and most buses and trucks don’t care about traffic rules or passenger or cargo limits. All these can happen, day after day. month after month, year after year, because some unscrupulous officials of transport authorities and a section of police force routinely patronage this system. There are hundred and thousands of evidences available — people are writing in newspapers, speaking out in state-run television, and voicing. concerns in opinion polls. Only problem is. the people In authority don't seem to hear or believe those voices, concerns or questions. Otherwise, how come police officials dare to say in television, in front of millions of people, that they never heard that trucks and buses must pay a toll every month to the police?
Of course, neither police force alone nor inadequate and ill-maintained roads alone are responsible for the mess in transport sector. They alone can t be held responsible for all the deaths, injuries and destructions. The country's entire Infrastructure is awfully Inadequate to provide opportunities for a decent life for Its 114 4 million people. Obviously, all the problems cannot be solved overnight. But with a little sense of honesty, sincerity, and with a little patriotism in heart, perhaps the nation can check the crying game of road accidents that every year take away numerous souls from their near and dear ones throughout the country.