National Road Safety Day is being observed across Bangladesh on Thursday, with calls for stricter enforcement of traffic laws, safer roads and coordinated efforts to reduce road crashes and fatalities.
This year’s theme is “Safe Roads, Prosperous Country — Bangladesh First”. The day highlights the importance of road safety as an integral part of national development.
The government has drafted the Road Safety Act 2026, which proposes free emergency treatment for road crash victims, legal protection for people who assist them, a demerit-point system for traffic violations and double fines for repeat offenders.
The government has pledged to enact a comprehensive road safety law by 2027.
Nirapad Sarak Chai (Nischa), a road safety organisation led by actor Ilias Kanchan, has called for responsible driving, compliance with traffic rules and coordinated action to prevent crashes.
A rally is scheduled to begin at 10am from the organisation’s central office in Kakrail, Dhaka, and end at the National Press Club.
Kanchan has identified speeding, reckless driving, driver fatigue, unfit vehicles, unsafe roads and delays in emergency medical care as major factors contributing to road fatalities.
He has also stressed the need for speed controls near schools, hospitals, markets and residential areas, safer pedestrian crossings, proper vehicle fitness checks and adequate driver training.