Save lives that perish on roads
Death of Rajib Hossain should act as a stark reminder of the fact that fatal accidents on the streets occur mostly due to the fault of drivers and if unruly driving can be checked, the present high number of accidents on the roads can be greatly minimised. But it is sad that the government has shown little or no seriousness to curb road accidents up until now. The people running the relevant government entities including the communications ministry, Bangladesh Road Transport Authorities (BRTA) as well as the law enforcers seem to be busier with their own personal welfare than delivering their bounden public responsibility.
Had that been true, we would have seen visible efforts from these entities for forcing drivers of public transports to drive responsibly. Lives of people here have become so cheap that if dozens of them die in road accidents, the government show no botheration for it. Is this because the people who are dying in road accidents are not rich or socially important?
Some days ago we have seen in the government a great sense of urgency for the victims of US-Bangla plane crash in Nepal, but that degree of efforts and care is not shown to the victims of road accidents internally. Yet, constitutionally, the government ought to treat equally lives of all people of the country.
There is no dearth of laws, manpower as well as logistical support to enforce the relevant laws for bringing traffic discipline; but laws application on the road is always conspicuously absent. According to a report of this newspaper yesterday, following a court order, installation of speed governor seals in all public transports could not be ensured for controlling their speed. And drivers could not be meted out their due punishment for careless and reckless driving. If amendment of laws is necessary for controlling accidents, then the government can go for it.
From the societys backward and illiterate masses, people usually take driving as a livelihood means. It would not be an overstatement that they themselves have not learnt to value their own life as they ought to do it. Even when this is the reality, it is the duty of the government to ensure that driving licenses must go to the right and responsible hands.
If by giving bribe, inept and, in many cases, underage people get driving licenses, we cannot hope to see substantial reduction in road accidents. All lives are equal, rich or poor, socially important or not. The government has to take tough measures to protect lives that perish on the roads, treating each life equally valuable.
