Inspector General of Police (IGP) Benazir Ahmed on Thursday urged motorcyclists not to drive without wearing quality helmets.

The IGP made the call while speaking at the launching of UN Standard Helmet in Bangladesh organized by BRAC at a hotel in the capital.

The IGP said the number of different types of vehicles on the roads is increasing as the country is developing. Road safety is also becoming a challenge day by day.

Referring to study, he said that 70 per cent of the victims of road accidents are pedestrians. On the other hand, most of the motorcycle victims are young people between the ages of 20 and 30. They are the productive manpower of the country.

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Benazir said at least 1,494 incidents of road accidents occurred in the country in the last six months. Among them, 478 were of motorcycle accidents. On the other hand, 336 people were killed and 305 injured in those motorcycle accidents during the period.

Of those victims, 239 had helmets, while among the injured people, 224 did not have helmets. This is an aspect of not having a helmet. On the other hand, the quality of the helmet, he added.

The police chief said that there is no certification authority for helmets in our country. He emphasized on Bangladesh importing European Union or US standard helmets or assembling them in the country.

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The IGP said many companies in the country are now producing motorcycles. He appealed to the motorcycle manufacturers to fix the package price by adding helmets to the motorcycles. He also demanded an end to the import of low quality helmets.

He said that if a person is killed or injured in a road accident, it is not only the loss of a family but also the economy of the country.

State Minister for Planning said. Shamsul Alam, BRTA Chairman Noor Mohammad Majumder and senior officials of the World Bank were present.