“We want safe roads, society and world. Overall we want now safe roads. So we have to know about its use. Drivers and passengers should be further aware. Road accidents are committed mainly because of drivers’ negligence and faulty road design by architects,” he also said at a discussion meeting in the city.

Nirapad Sarak Andolon (NiSA) organised the discussion meeting at Jatiya Press Club marking the first anniversary of the movement for safe roads by students.

Arefin said that the demands of the students were logical. “The issues of road safety and traffic rules should be included in textbook properly.  The drivers should be skilled and conscious so that even an animal is not killed on the roads by them.”

“The rights of drivers including their salary and rest houses should also be considered. However, we all be aware and use foot overbridges for safety,” he also added.

Dr Shahdeen Malik, Advocate of Bangladesh Supreme Court stressed technical solutions and awareness to solve the problems of road accidents.

“Justice is never established without movement. So you (students) should continue the logical demonstration for road safety. Because where economy’s interest is involved, there will be no change without demonstrations,” he also said.

Naimul Islam Khan, editor of Amader Notun Shomoy, said , “You demonstrated over a logical issue. People all over the world saw how students of Bangladesh demonstrate over logical issues.”  

Injamul Haque, joint convener of the platform, claimed that corruption is endemic in the country, and around 60 percent allocation for road safety is lost to corruption at official level. “The government has to implement our demands in a short time,” he added.

He also urged the government to modernize traffic management, formulate half fare for students, stipulate capital punishment for reckless drivers and create awareness among people so that no one is killed on roads.