Chattogram chokes on road safety crisis

An alarming increase in road crashes is occurring on the busy streets of Chattogram, the country’s commercial capital and second-largest city. This ominous trend is observed ignoring the fact that almost at the same time the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) announced Motor Vehicle Speed Limit Guideline-2024 which had not been implemented to a major extent. Despite its introduction earlier this year, a mix of apathy, enforcement challenges, and systemic inefficiencies have impeded its enforcement, leading to a deadly toll on the city’s roads.

Two friends–Md Moktar, 28 and Md Rubel, 36, residents of Sadarghat area in Chattogram– were killed on the spot after their motorcycle hit a lamp post on Chattogram Elevated Expressway in EPZ area on November 8, 2024. They were coming from Patenga area to Lalkhanbazar after racing with another motorcycle.

A police officer– Mohammad Mozahid, 32, sergeant of Port Traffic Division of Chattogram Metropolitan Police– was killed after being hit by a private car from behind on the Faujdarhat-Bandar toll road in Chattogram city on March 13, 2023. 

Three persons– Md Shahid, Md Mannan and Ohid Miah– who were the passengers of a Mahindra autorickshaw were killed as a sand-laden speedy truck ran over the autorickshaw at Rahattarpul area in Chattogram city on February 4, 2021. 

A garment worker–Rabeya Akter Sumi, 19, hailed from Cumilla district– was killed when a speedy lorry ran over her at EPZ area in Chattogram city on July 20, 2018.

These are the only examples of road crashes that took lives of some people and the city people are experiencing the incidents regularly. 

A total of 96 persons were killed in road crashes in Chattogram city in 2023, according to data from Kazi Md Shifun Newaz, surveillance coordinator of Bloomberg Initiative for Global Road Safety (BIGRS)–Chattogram.

However, according to BRTA official data, 843 persons were killed and 1417 were injured in 974 road crashes in Chattogram division from January to October 2024. 

The government introduced the speed guideline to reduce road crashes. The maximum speed limit would be 40kmph for cars, buses, and minibusses on streets inside city corporations, municipalities, and district towns, and 30kmph for trucks, motorcycles, and articulated lorries, according to the guideline. 

But the guideline was completely ignored in Chattogram city roads as per the recent surveillance on the roads by this correspondent.

A private car driver–Imran Uddin– told The Daily Messenger that he didn’t learn about the recent speed guideline introduced by the government. 

“For the first time, I learned about the speed guideline in the city from you,” he said.

Aminul Islam Sujon, technical adviser for road safety, Bangladesh at the Vital Strategies said that all authorities concerned including Bangladesh Road Transport Authority, city corporations, metropolitan polices should increase awareness among road users on safer road use. Drivers should be aware, educated and sensitized to follow the traffic rules, speed limit across all roads, and stop before crossing and signal to help the pedestrians cross the streets.

“To increase knowledge and education and support the enforcement of relevant laws, evidence-based mass media campaigns would be effective if the campaign utilizes all possible traditional and digital media, such as newspapers, TV channels, social media outlets and roadside digital media screens. and suffering from road crashes. We are happy to provide any possible technical assistance to the authorities concerned if they arrange any mass media campaigns on road safety issues,” said Aminul Islam Sujon. 

However, a study report published by Chattogram Metropolitan Police on September 2023 said that 10 locations were identified as high-risk for road crashes in Chattogram including with Tiger Pass Intersection, Peari Kutir, Khejur Tola (Outer Ring Road), Oxygen Intersection and GEC intersection. The study also identified the 10 highest-risk road corridors including AG road starting from Markazul Ulum Jame Mosque and ending in Bahaddarhat proved to be the most dangerous junction in the city. CDA Avenue and Chattogram–Cox Bazar Road were also particularly dangerous.

Syed Ainul Huda Chowdhury, spokesperson and deputy director of BRTA Chattogram metro circle-2, admitted that they have yet to implement the guideline.

“City corporation, roads and highway and local government engineering department are the concerned authority to implement the guideline in the respectives areas. We are also working on it to empower our executive magistrate to implement the guideline,” Syed Ainul Huda Chowdhury told The Daily Messenger.

The city lacks adequate sidewalks and pedestrian crossings, forcing pedestrians to share the road with vehicles, increasing their vulnerability to accidents. Many drivers in Chattogram exhibit reckless behaviors including speeding, overtaking recklessly, and disregarding traffic rules. This irresponsible behavior puts the lives of others at risk.

Fairoz Ibnat Oyshee, a twelve-grade student of Ispahani Public School and College in Chattogram, told The Daily Messenger that she uses a rickshaw to go to college regularly from her residence at Chatteshwari road. 

“City buses, private cars and motorcycles were found driving recklessly on the roads,” she said. 

Chattogram’s residents are growing increasingly disillusioned with the slow pace of reform. “I drive my daughter to college daily, and it’s a nightmare. Motorcycles, private cars and buses roar down the streets at high speeds — it's as if there’s no law at all,” said homemaker Jahan Ara Begum of Chawkbazar area.

Rights activists are calling for urgent action to address the root causes of road crashes. They advocate for improved road infrastructure, stricter enforcement of traffic laws, and public awareness campaigns to promote responsible driving behavior.

Safique Ahmed Sajib, general secretary of Nirapad Sarak Chai in Chattogram, condemned what he described as a “culture of negligence.” 

“It’s one thing to introduce regulations; it’s another to enforce them. Road safety campaigns have been sporadic at best, and without consistent public awareness and strict enforcement, these guidelines won’t save lives,” Safique Ahmed Sajib told The Daily Messenger.

Kazi Mohammad Tareq Aziz, additional deputy commissioner (public relations) and spokespersons of CMP, told The Daily Messenger that they were working on it from last month. 

“We have eight speed-gun which have remained idle for a long time. We are using the speed-gun at different points in the city. We are taking legal actions, if any vehicle is found over-speed,” he said. 

“We have sent a requisition letter for more speed-gun to the higher authority to implement the guideline on the road,” the CMP spokesperson informed. 

However, the police officer emphasized on the awareness building among the citizens and drivers to reduce the road crashes.

Chattogram City Corporation mayor Dr. Shahadat Hossain told The Daily Messenger that they were working on it to reduce road crashes in the city. 

“We need to work together with traffic police, BRTA, and other stakeholders to address the issue. We experienced unfit vehicles, incompetent and under-aged drivers on the roads. They must be trained and rehabilitated. The city corporation is always ready to cooperate with the other stakeholders,” the mayor said. 

“Without concerted efforts from all the stakeholders, the issue cannot be solved,” the mayor added. 

Kazi Md Shifun Newaz, surveillance coordinator of Bloomberg Initiative for Global Road Safety (BIGRS)–Chattogram, told The Daily Messenger that CCC, CMP and BRTA should work together to set a work plan for implementing the speed limit guidelines in the city. 

“They need to mark speed limits for different roads according to the guidelines and post signages. Besides, police must be trained and equipped to enforce the limits properly. Awareness program should be run to make the driver obey the limits,” said Kazi Md Shifun Newaz.