A new coalition named “Bangladesh Road Safety Network” was formed to ensure discipline in the road transport system and reduce road crashes through coordinated and sustainable initiatives on Sunday at a meeting held at the Road Safety Foundation office in Dhanmondi, Dhaka.

The meeting was chaired by Salma Mahbub, Executive Director of Bangladesh Society for the Change and Advocacy Nexus (B-SCAN) and conducted by Pahari Bhattacharya, Research Coordinator of Road Safety Foundation.

The meeting was also graced by - Executive Director of Road Safety Foundation Saidur Rahman, Advocate of Safety and Rights Md Faruk Hossain, Treasurer of Nusrat Jahan Toma Foundation Sharmin Islam, Executive Director of Eventful Bangladesh Md Roknuzzaman, and Executive Director of Seba Bangladesh Foundation Yasmin Ara.

The participants stressed the need for a strong platform to promote public awareness on road safety, advocate for policies and strategies, monitor enforcement of traffic laws, address the problems of women, children, elderly, and physically challenged passengers in public transport, provide financial support to accident victims through a trust fund and support government initiatives to improve road safety.

Following discussions, the coalition, Bangladesh Road Safety Network, was officially formed.

The meeting unanimously appointed the following management committee:

1.       Co-conveners : Harun Ar-Rashid and Salma Mahbub

2.       Joint Co-conveners: Md Sekandar Ali Khan Mina and Sharmin Islam

3.       Member-secretary: Saidur Rahman

4.       Treasurer: Yasmin Ara

5.       Coordinator: Pahari Bhattacharya

6.       Spokesperson: Dr Md Towfiquzzaman

Additionally, it was decided that the committee would later include more organizations to form a full-fledged committee and observe ‘Road Safety Day’ on October 22.

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