Roads and Highways Department (RHD) organised the workshop on ‘Road Safety at Highway Intersections’ at Cirdap auditorium marking 5th UN Global Road Safety Week-2019.
AK Mohammad Fazlul Karim, Superintending Engineer of Road Design and Safety Circle at the RHD, presented the keynote paper titled ‘Study on Road Safety Hazards including Design of Countermeasures at Intersections on National and Regional Highway of Bangladesh’.
He mentioned that there are 754 dangerous intersections on 394 national and 360 regional highways of the country.
There are footbridges on 10 percent national highway intersections while 1 percent in regional highway intersections.
“There’s fixed space for bus stoppage on 14 percent of national highway intersections while 1 percent of regional highway intersections. There was no proper signaling system for drivers and pedestrians in 30 percent intersections. The main problems in intersections include illegal parking of CNG-run auto-rickshaws and leguna,” the keynote paper said.
It also suggested introducing continuous pedestrian walkway (100m-200m), guardrail protecting pedestrian walkway, appropriate curb design at crossing facility, pedestrian footbridge/underpass, preferable shaded, flashing amber light for pedestrian crossing (for vehicle); pedestrian crossing signal and lighting facility.
Recommendations also include rumble strip approaching intersection, surveillance camera, channelisation, drainage, installation of signs (all 3 types) and no large trees near intersection obstructing visibility.
Prof Dr Md Mizanur Rahman, director of the Accident Research Institute at Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (Buet), said the road accidents must be reduced by 2020 to achieve SDGs.
“We, engineers, propose plans but these are not implemented properly. Some 24 percent drivers and 34 percent passengers die in road accidents in our country,” he said.
Prof Mizanur said engineers’ recommendations should be taken into consideration to bring discipline on roads.
Quoting of the UN, Nirapad Sarak Chai (We Demand Safe Roads) founder Ilias Kanchan said the road crash is not a disease but a man-made problem. “The road safety issue should be included in school textbooks and exam should be taken on the topics to create awareness. Besides, laws must be enforced strictly to bring all those responsible for road crashes to justice.”
As the chief guest of the event, Road Transport and Highways Division Secretary Md Nazrul Islam said the government may build footbridges but people have to use those. “So, awareness and enforcement of laws are needed.”
He also said they are arranging mass hearings to create awareness among people in different districts of the country. “We’ll take all the possible steps but everyone has to be responsible,” he also said.
Chief Engineer of Roads and Highways Department Ibne Alam Hasan who presided over the programme said they took various steps, including four-lane roads, to reduce road accidents. “Road accidents will come down by around 85 percent if intersections are properly used.”