|| Md. Monoarul Islam: As Bangladesh moves toward a democratic transition with a renewed commitment to building a modern state, accountable institutions, and citizen-centered governance, road safety has become an issue of growing national importance. Protecting the lives, property, and dignity of citizens is one of the state's most important responsibilities. Yet, the number of people who lose their lives on Bangladesh's roads every day is not simply the result of accidents. It reflects years of policy failures, poor management, and weak enforcement. Road deaths have become so common that they are often seen as a normal part of everyday life. This acceptance of preventable deaths is one of the country's greatest concerns.According to the Bangladesh Jatri Kalyan Samity, nearly 8,000 people were killed in road crashes in 2023. The Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA), however, reported more than 5,000 deaths during the same year. The estimate of the World Health Organization (WHO) is even higher. Its Global Status Report on Road Safety suggests that the actual number of road traffic deaths in Bangladesh is close to 30,000 each year. The large difference between these figures points to a serious weakness in the country's system. Bangladesh still does not have a single, reliable, and scientific system for collecting and reporting road crash data. As a result, different organizations produce very different estimates. Despite these differences, all sources agree on one important fact. Every day, an average of 21 to 24 people lose their lives on the country's roads. Many more suffer injuries, often with lifelong physical, emotional, and financial consequences. Road crashes also place a heavy burden on the national economy. According to the World Bank, the economic loss caused by road crashes is equal to about 2 to 3 percent of Bangladesh's annual Gross Domestic Product (GDP). This amounts to several thousand core taka every year. Therefore, road crashes are not only a humanitarian crisis but also a major barrier to the country's sustainable development.To address this growing crisis, road safety experts around the world have adopted a modern approach known as the Safe System approach. The main idea behind this approach is simple. People can and do make mistakes because making mistakes is a natural part of being human. However, those mistakes should never lead to death or serious injury. The traditional approach to road safety often places all the blame on drivers or pedestrians after a crash. The Safe System approach takes a different view. It recognizes that road safety is a shared responsibility. Road designers, vehicle manufacturers, lawmakers, and government agencies all have an important role to play. They are responsible for creating a transport system that protects people even when human mistakes occur. Instead of asking who is to blame after a crash, the Safe System approach asks how the road transport system can be made safer so that human errors do not result in fatal consequences. This means building safer roads, ensuring safer vehicles, setting safe speed limits, and enforcing road safety laws effectively.The Netherlands is one of the best examples of this approach. By designing its road safety policies around the Safe System principles, it has become one of the countries with the lowest road traffic death rates in the world. Even emerging economies such as Malaysia and Vietnam have adopted parts of this approach. They have introduced dedicated motorcycle lanes and enforced strict helmet laws, which have helped reduce road traffic deaths. These examples show that the Safe System approach is not a solution only for wealthy countries. It is a practical and effective model that can work in countries at different levels of economic development.In Bangladesh, one of the most urgent priorities is to reform the public transport sector and end the long-standing problems caused by poor management and weak regulation. According to data from the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) and transport owners' and workers' associations, around 125,000 vehicles in Dhaka are operating without a valid fitness certificate. The same sources also estimate that at least 30 percent of bus drivers do not have a valid driving license. The challenges faced by drivers are also serious and complex. Many drivers receive inadequate training before obtaining a license. They are often required to drive continuously for 8 to 10 hours without proper rest. Long working hours and constant pressure leave many drivers physically and mentally exhausted. Research by the International Labour Organization (ILO) shows that driving continuously for long periods can reduce a driver's reaction time to a level similar to that of someone under the influence of alcohol. This greatly increases the risk of road crashes. Although a new rule has recently limited drivers' working hours to a maximum of eight hours per day, weak monitoring and enforcement have prevented the rule from being properly implemented. As a result, it remains largely ineffective in practice. If the law is fully enforced, drivers' working hours, mandatory biometric-based training, and regular drug tests can all be monitored through an integrated digital tracking system. Such a system would improve accountability and ensure that responsibility does not fall only on drivers. Vehicle owners and transport companies would also be legally responsible for meeting safety standards and complying with the law.The wider use of modern technology in traffic management, along with better coordination among government institutions, is now an urgent need in Bangladesh. At present, the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP),  Dhaka Transport Coordination Authority (DTCA), and the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) often work without effective coordination. This lack of cooperation makes traffic management more difficult and increases disorder on the roads. A major safety problem on highways is that slow-moving three-wheeled vehicles, such as Nosimon, Karimon, and Easy Bike, share the same lanes with high-speed buses and trucks. The large difference in speed between these vehicles creates a dangerous situation and contributes to many serious road crashes. Many countries have reduced road crashes by using technology to improve traffic management. Bangladesh can also benefit from introducing automatic traffic monitoring systems, digital enforcement, and a point-based driving license system. Under such a system, drivers would lose points for traffic violations, and repeated offences could lead to the suspension or cancellation of their licenses. Highways should also include separate service lanes for slow-moving vehicles wherever possible. This would reduce conflicts between different types of vehicles and make travel safer for everyone. With these reforms, traffic management would depend less on the personal judgment of individual officers and more on clear rules, technology, and transparent enforcement. Traffic police officers would no longer have to face political or local pressure on their own. Instead, they would be supported by a strong legal and institutional system that allows the law to be applied fairly and consistently.If these laws and policies are properly implemented, their benefits will be wide-ranging and measurable. Even if Bangladesh can reduce road traffic deaths by half, as countries such as Sweden and the Netherlands have done, thousands of lives could be saved every year. Many of these people are young and economically active. The value of these lives cannot be measured by any economic indicator. Fewer road crashes would also reduce medical costs and the loss of productive working hours. This would lower the significant economic losses that road crashes currently cause each year. The money saved could instead be invested in national development and other public priorities. Safer and better-managed public transport would encourage more people to use buses and other shared transport instead of private cars. As a result, dependence on private vehicles would decrease. This would help reduce traffic congestion and lower air pollution, making cities cleaner and more livable. A safe road transport system also sends a positive message to international investors. It shows that the country values good governance, public safety, and efficient infrastructure. This can improve investor confidence, support economic growth, and create more employment opportunities for the people of Bangladesh.In the journey toward building a new Bangladesh, a strong road safety law is not a secondary issue or a luxury. It is a basic right that every citizen deserves. Every life is valuable, and every preventable death is a great loss for the nation. To reduce road traffic deaths, Bangladesh must move beyond isolated actions and short-term enforcement campaigns. Temporary fines and occasional drives alone cannot solve the problem. What the country needs is a coordinated, evidence-based, and long-term policy approach that addresses the root causes of road crashes. Life is ultimately in the hands of Allah, but it is the responsibility of the state to create a road transport system that protects people as much as possible. The government has a duty to provide safe roads, enforce effective laws, and build institutions that prevent avoidable deaths and serious injuries. Recognizing this responsibility, the time has come for Parliament to formulate and implement a modern road safety law based on the Safe System approach. Acting now will help save thousands of lives, strengthen public confidence, and build a safer future for all citizens of Bangladesh.Writer –Md. Monoarul Islam Advocacy Officer (Policy) Health & Nutrition SectorDhaka Ahsania MissionEmail – monoarul@amic.org.bd