In a new push to restore order to Bangladesh’s often chaotic transport sector, Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) is moving to introduce Global Positioning System (GPS) tracking in public vehicles that could transform enforcement and accountability on the country’s roads.
The proposed system will enable authorities to monitor vehicle movements and speeds in real time, offering a technology-driven solution to long-standing problems such as reckless driving, unauthorised stoppages, passenger overloading and fare irregularities.
“If GPS is introduced, violations can be tracked instantly. Over-speeding or traffic rule breaches will be automatically recorded, allowing legal action against both drivers and owners,” a senior official at the Ministry of Road Transport and Bridges told UNB.
The initiative comes as part of a broader, multi-pronged strategy led by the Roads and Highways Department (RHD) to tackle the country’s worsening road safety situation, according to an official document.
The authorities has already rolled out a mix of engineering, enforcement and management measures, including redesigning accident-prone “black spots,” improving road geometry, and expanding the installation of traffic signs, signals and road markings.
Infrastructure upgrades are also underway, with guardrails, speed breakers, delineators and signboards being installed on key highways.
To protect pedestrians, overpasses, footbridges, zebra crossings and service roads are being constructed in busy commercial areas, while provisions for slow-moving and non-motorised vehicles are gradually being introduced.
Officials said the integration of Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS)—such as CCTV surveillance, Vehicle Detection Systems (VDS) and Variable Message Signs (VMS)—is already reshaping traffic monitoring.
A speed enforcement system currently operational on the Dhaka–Mawa Expressway is expected to be expanded nationwide.
To strengthen institutional capacity, a dedicated Road Design and Safety Circle has been established to analyse accident trends and coordinate safety interventions.
Meanwhile, four rest houses for long-distance drivers in Cumilla, Sirajganj, Magura and Habiganj have been set up to reduce fatigue-related accidents.
Despite these measures, road safety indicators continue to deteriorate.
Data from the Bangladesh Passenger Welfare Association (BPWA) paints a grim picture: at least 9,111 people were killed and 14,812 injured in 6,729 road accidents in 2025.
Compared to the previous year, accidents rose by nearly 7 percent, while fatalities and injuries also recorded significant increases.
The economic toll is equally alarming.
Experts estimate that road crashes cost the country over Tk 600 billion annually, straining both the economy and healthcare system.
Motorcycles remain the single biggest contributor to accidents, accounting for around 37 percent of total incidents.
Pedestrians are the most vulnerable group, making up nearly half of all fatalities, while national highways account for over a third of accidents.
Safety analysts attribute the rising death toll to a combination of reckless driving, unskilled operators, unregulated battery-run vehicles, poor infrastructure and weak law enforcement.
The risks were particularly evident during the recent Eid-ul-Fitr travel rush. Between March 14 and March 28, at least 351 people were killed and over 1,000 injured in road crashes, according to BPWA.
Including rail and waterway incidents, total fatalities climbed to 394.
Separate data from the Road Safety Foundation reported 298 deaths in 373 road accidents over the same period—an average of about 20 deaths per day.
Motorcycles again featured prominently, accounting for nearly 38 percent of fatalities.
Experts say head-on collisions and run-over incidents dominate crash patterns, with more than 40 percent occurring on national highways.
Chattogram division recorded the highest number of deaths during the period.
While the planned GPS tracking system is being welcomed as a step toward modernising traffic enforcement, experts caution that technology alone cannot resolve the crisis.
As Bangladesh grapples with mounting casualties on its roads, the success of the GPS initiative may ultimately depend on how effectively it is implemented—and whether it can bring about the behavioural change that has long eluded the sector.