Shared responsibility could reduce road fatalities

Every festive season, millions of Bangladeshis embark on a deeply rooted ritual: traveling home to reunite with their families. Yet, for far too many, this long-awaited journey ends not in celebration, but in unspeakable grief. Chronic traffic congestion, reckless driving, and largely preventable road crashes continue to claim hundreds of lives, turning moments of national joy into lifelong sorrow.

We must confront a stark truth: road safety is not solely a matter of law enforcement. It is a shared, institutional responsibility involving transport owners, drivers, passengers, and regulatory bodies. When accountability fades, a culture of systemic negligence takes its place�"and the cost is invariably measured in human lives.

The surge in travel demand during festivals places immense pressure on our fragile transport infrastructure. Unfortunately, this demand routinely fuels an unhealthy, unconscionable race for greater profits. More passengers mean more trips; more trips encourage higher speeds; and higher speeds exponentially increase the risk of fatal disasters. Transport workers are frequently forced to complete an unrealistic number of trips without adequate rest simply to meet aggressive financial targets set by owners. In the worst cases, exhausted drivers are replaced by unqualified helpers�"a recipe for catastrophe on our highways.

This cycle of excessive trips and speed may generate greater revenue for transport owners, but it comes at an unbearable human cost. The crisis is compounded by a compromised regulatory framework that allows unfit vehicles, poorly maintained fleets, and unlicensed drivers to operate with near impunity. City buses, which are entirely unsuited for highway conditions, are routinely deployed on long-distance routes, further compounding the hazard.

Another major challenge is the systemic lack of compliance with basic traffic discipline. Vehicles stop arbitrarily on busy highways to pick up or drop off passengers, creating bottleneck hazards. Drivers then attempt to recover lost time by speeding or aggressively racing against competing buses. The distraction caused by mobile phones among both drivers and pedestrians, the proliferation of illegal three-wheelers on national highways, roadside encroachment, and a blatant disregard for traffic rules collectively create a highly hazardous road environment.

Yet, we must also look at the human element behind the steering wheel. Professional drivers spend grueling hours under relentless pressure, often sleeping inside their vehicles. Despite safely transporting millions, they rarely receive the societal respect or institutional protection they deserve. Physical exhaustion, acute mental stress, financial insecurity, and the absence of social dignity leave many vulnerable to poor decision-making. A transport system that systematically neglects the welfare of its workers cannot realistically expect consistently safe outcomes.

Meaningful reform requires a dual approach: unyielding state regulation and a fundamental shift in public attitudes.

Transport owners must be held legally accountable. Vehicles must undergo rigorous, corruption-free fitness inspections. Crucially, drivers must be given formal appointment letters, job security and decent working conditions. Moving the sector away from an informal, daily-wage trap will inherently encourage professionalism.

Passengers, too, must foster a more responsible culture by respecting drivers, using designated stops, and discouraging reckless speeding. Standardized uniforms, robust training programs, and post-retirement welfare schemes are no longer luxuries; they are necessities for professionalizing the industry.

Our educational campaigns must drive home a simple, sobering truth: arriving 10 minutes early is never more important than living 10 years longer.

Ultimately, slow-moving and unauthorized vehicles must be strictly banned from expressways, and stringent measures�"including the immediate cancellation of route permits and driving licences�"must be taken against habitual offenders.

A safer transport system cannot be built through ad hoc enforcement alone. It requires a collective commitment to human life. When transport owners, regulators, and citizens all fulfil their obligations, our festive journeys will finally cease to be a gamble with death and become the safe reunions they were always meant to be.