36 families in Feni get Tk 2cr in road mishap aid

FENI, Nov 4: Thirty-six families of people killed or injured in road accidents in Feni have received Tk 1.66 crore in financial assistance from the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) Trustee Board.

The cheques were handed over at a programme held at the conference room of the deputy commissioner’s office on Wednesday, jointly organised by the district administration and BRTA’s Feni circle.

Feni-2 MP Zainal Abdin attended the programme as the chief guest, while Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Mahbubul Karim presided over it.

According to BRTA sources, 31 families of people killed in road accidents received Tk 5 lakh each, totalling Tk 1.55 crore. Three families of critically injured victims received Tk 3 lakh each, while two other injured victims’ families received Tk 1 lakh each.

The assistance aims to help families of deceased victims cope with financial hardship and support the treatment and rehabilitation of those injured in road accidents.

A family member of a deceased victim said their father, the family's sole breadwinner, had died in a road accident while working as a vehicle supervisor.

"We are grateful for the financial assistance provided by the government," the family member said.

Another recipient said their father had been critically injured in a road accident and that the cost of treatment was difficult for a middle-income family to bear.

"This assistance will be a great help to us. We thank the government for its support," the recipient said.

Traffic Inspector Ashraful Islam said around 6,000 people die in road accidents across the country every year, stressing the need for greater awareness and caution among road users.

"Everyone must follow traffic laws, road signs, rules and regulations. Observing traffic rules can help prevent road accidents," he said.

BRTA Assistant Director (Engineering) Md Al Faisal outlined the distribution of the assistance, confirming that 31 families received Tk 5 lakh each, three received Tk 3 lakh each and two received Tk 1 lakh each.

Deputy Commissioner Mahbubul Karim said no amount of money could compensate families for the losses caused by road accidents, but the government had provided the assistance considering their hardship.

He called for greater publicity about the availability of government assistance for accident victims and their families.

He also said steps would be taken to repair potholes on a 31-kilometre stretch of the Dhaka-Chattogram highway in Feni, where vehicles often travel at high speeds. He urged the police to conduct checkpoints in an orderly manner and called for measures to ease traffic congestion.

Chief Guest Zainal Abdin said roads needed to be widened and expanded to reduce accidents, while ensuring the safety of passengers and vehicles.

He urged vehicle owners and workers to operate vehicles carefully and comply with traffic laws. He also said he would raise a proposal in parliament to improve road safety and reduce accidents.

Other attendees included Additional District Magistrate Fatima Sultana, Traffic Inspector Mohammad Ashraf Uddin, BRTA Feni Circle Assistant Director (Engineering) Md Al Faisal and Feni District Road Transport Bus Owners' Association General Secretary Zafar Uddin, among others.