|| Staff Correspondent: Journalists and road safety advocates have called for an immediate ban on unfit vehicles on highways to ensure safe and hassle-free travel during the upcoming Eid-ul-Azha.The call came at a discussion titled “Necessary Steps for Safe Eid Travel to Prevent Road Crashes”, organized by the Health Sector of Dhaka Ahsania Mission at its Shyamoli office on Tuesday.Sharmin Rahman, coordinator of the organization’s Road Safety Project, said road crashes and fatalities during Eid travel in 2026 have risen sharply compared to 2025, highlighting serious gaps in the country’s road safety management.“If effective measures are not taken immediately, the situation may worsen further,” she warned.Rahman stressed the need for stricter speed control on highways, preventing unfit vehicles from operating, ensuring adequate rest for drivers, and conducting mobile court drives at key points. The organization also recommended restricting the movement of heavy trucks before and after Eid, using speed guns to curb overspeeding, introducing more digital toll booths, and operating mobile courts to stop overcharging of passengers.Muhammad Jahangir Alam, general secretary of the Shipping and Communication Reporters Forum (SCRF) and special correspondent of United News of Bangladesh, urged the government to deploy more highway police to reduce crashes. He also called for strict monitoring to ensure that unfit buses do not leave terminals.Jamiul Ahsan Shipu, senior reporter at _The Daily Ittefaq_, said long queues at toll plazas and bridges during Eid often cause severe congestion. “To reduce the gridlock, the number of toll booths should be increased,” he said.Aminul Islam, senior reporter at Daily Naya Diganta, noted that while many laws exist, offenders often exploit loopholes to evade punishment. He said limitations in the Road Transport Act continue to hinder enforcement and remain a major challenge in reducing crashes.Touhiduzzaman Tanmoy, staff correspondent of JagoNews24.com, said media reports usually focus on the incidents themselves, while the causes and follow-up investigations often go unreported. “Follow-up reporting on road crashes is essential,” he said.The discussion was moderated by Shuvra Deb, senior crime reporter at Manabzamin, who said ensuring road safety requires coordinated efforts from all stakeholders, including the media.Participants also recommended making standard helmets mandatory for motorcyclists, limiting motorcycles to two riders including the driver, increasing monitoring against reckless lane changing and dangerous overtaking, and allocating designated left lanes for motorcycles on highways.They emphasized the urgent need for a comprehensive road safety law based on the “Safe System” approach and strict enforcement to make Eid travel safer and more comfortable for all.