Roads in Bangladesh have become more dangerous with fatalities and injuries almost every day and the two highways from Dhaka to Khulna and Barishal are two of those which have witnessed 320 fatalities in the past one year. Unskilled drivers, over-speed, negligence of authorities concerned and rules violation are blamed for the frequent road accidents on highways although the highway police claimed that several measures have been taken to reduce road accidents. The recent deadly road crash on Dhaka-Khulna highway that claimed 15 lives raised question whether these measures were adequate to control the fatal accidents . On April 16, 15 people including five members of a family died in a collision between a bus and a pick-up van on Dhaka-Khulna highway at Kanaipur of Faridpur district. A five-member probe body was formed to investigate the accident and  two more members including an expert from Buet were also included in the committee, headed by Additional district Magistrate Ali Siddique. Faridpur road crash: 18-month old loses both parents The committee was asked to submit its report within three working days. At least one representative from the Roads and Highways division, Highway police, district police and Fire Service were also included in the committee. National Committee to protect Shipping, Roads and Railways (NCPSRR) said the authorities concerned including police and BRTA can’t avoid responsibility for the Faridpur road crash on Dhaka-Khulna highway. Condemning the authorities’ negligence, the NCPSRR said although carrying passengers on trucks, pick-up vans and good- laden vehicles is prohibited the vehicle was heading towards Dhaka from Faridpur’s Boalmari with 25-30 passengers on board. On March 8, three people died and ten others were injured when a bus overturned on Dhaka-Barishal highway in Bhanga. Besides, nine people died in separate accidents in January. Roads and Highways division and highway police blame over-speed, unskilled drivers, reckless plying of motorbikes and pedestrians’ desperate bid to cross the highways behind the accidents and fatalities. 5-member probe body formed over Faridpur road crash According to Faridpur Highway Police sources, the length of the Bangabandhu Expressway from Jatrabari in Dhaka to Bhanga in Faridpur is 55 kilometers. Of these, 32 kilometers are from Jatrabari to Padma Bridge and 23 kilometers from Janjira to Bhanga. In the last one year, 131 people were killed in 135 accidents on the expressway and of these, 63 accidents occurred in Bhanga portion that claimed lives of 67 people. There are five highway police stations, one police outpost and two camps under the 381 km highway in Madaripur region. Shahinur Alam Khan, superintendent of Madaripur Region highway police, said 320 lives were lost on the two highways in the last one year but a number of measures have been taken to prevent road crashes. In the past one year, 28,404 cases were filed and Tk 9,43,26,200 was fined for reckless driving on the two highways, said the SP. Police, BRTA can’t avoid responsibility for fatal Faridpur road crash: National Committee Besides, 271 cases were filed in 432 road accidents on Dhaka-Khulna and Dhaka-Barishal highways, he said. Morshed Alam, superintendent of Faridpur police, said the owners and transport workers must play a big role alongside the passengers to stop accidents on highways. Besides, the residents along the highways have to be more responsible while using highways, he said.

After nearly six hours, bus and launch services in Barishal resumed on Thursday noon following the intervention of the local administration. The bus services in Barishal and other parts of the country had remained suspended since morning as transport workers blocked the Dhaka-Barishal highway in protest against Wednesday's clash that left over 30 injured. Meanwhile, police arrested as many as 13 activists of the ruling Awami League and  Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) from different parts of the city in connection with the attack on the residence of the Sadar Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO). Read:Barishal: Bus services suspended as clash leaves 30 injured Joint general secretary of Barishal Metropolitan unit of the Awami League, Hasan Mahmud Babu, and vice-president of the city unit of BCL Oliullah Oli were among the arrestees, said officer-in-charge of Kotwali Model Police Station, Nurul Islam. The clash broke out between the supporters of the Awami League, BCL and members of Ansar when the former tried to attack the residence of the UNO at Sadar Upazila Complex in Barishal on Wednesday night. Of the injured, five people suffered bullet wounds during the clash. The transport workers, including the supporters of Barishal City Corporation Mayor Serniabat Sadiq Abdullah, activists of Chhatra League and Jubo League, blocked the Dhaka-Barishal highway by placing buses in Rupatoli and Nathullabad Bus Terminal areas in the small hours of Wednesday. Besides, launch services in Barishal also remained suspended as the supporters of the mayor did not allow any passenger vessel to leave the terminal, causing immense sufferings to the commuters. According to eye-witnesses, the Nagar Bhaban staffers went to the residence of Sadar Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Munibur Rahman to lower a banner hanging over the area. Read: Barishal City Corporation dismisses 12 officials over corruption At one stage, the UNO came out and asked the reason, leading to an altercation between him and Swapan Kumar Das, a staffer of the city corporation. During the altercation, some 25-30 people entered the complex and a scuffle broke out between the Ansar members and the so-called mob over the issue, triggering a clash. At one stage, the Ansar members opened fire on them, leaving five injured. On information, police rushed to the spot and charged batons to disperse them. Some 25 people were injured in the clash with the cops. Shahabuddin Khan, police commissioner of Barishal, said, "A police team rushed to the spot and the attackers threw brick chips targeting the cops, forcing them to retaliate. Three policemen and two Ansar members were injured during the incident.” They also vandalised a bus in the area in the night. Read:Student protest causes traffic disruption in Barishal Three people who sustained bullet injuries—Shahrier Babu, Harun-or-Rashid and Tanvir-- were taken to Barishal Sher-e-Bangla Medical College and Hospital. Of them, Tanvir was shifted to Dhaka for better treatment. UNO Munibur Rahman said, “Some 15-20 people identifying themselves as Chattra League members entered the house. Later, some 60-70 people also entered the complex and went up to the first floor of the upazila complex building. They also tried to attack me but the Ansar members saved me." Barishal City Corporation Mayor Serniabat Sadiq Abdullah told the media, "The city corporation staffers went there to perform their duties but the Ansar members attacked them.” He has demanded a probe into the clash. 

Bus services in Barishal and other parts of the country remained suspended from Thursday morning as transport workers blocked the Dhaka-Barishal highway in protest against  Wednesday's clash that left over 30 injured. The clash broke out between the supporters of the ruling Awami League, its students' wing Bangladesh Chhatra League and  members of Ansar when the former tried to attack the residence of the Sadar Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) at Sadar Upazila Complex in Barishal on Wednesday night. Read:BNP activists clash with police at Chandrima Udyan Of the injured, five people suffered bullet wounds during the clash. The transport workers, including the supporters of Barishal City Corporation Mayor Serniabat Sadiq Abdullah, activists of Chhatra League and Jubo League, blocked the Dhaka-Barishal highway by placing buses in Rupatoli and Nathullabad Bus Terminal areas in the small hours of Wednesday. Besides, launch services in Barishal also remained suspended as the supporters of the mayor did not allow any passenger vessel to leave the terminal, causing immense sufferings to the commuters. According to eye-witnesses, the Nagar Bhaban staffers went to the residence of Sadar Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Munibur Rahman to lower a banner hanging over the area. At one stage, the UNO came out and asked the reason, leading to an altercation between him and Swapan Kumar Das, a staffer of the city corporation. Read: Cumilla AL groups clash over mourning day event During the altercation, some 25-30 people entered the complex and a scuffle broke out between the Ansar members and the so-called mob over the issue, triggering a clash. At one stage, the Ansar members opened fire on them, leaving five injured. On information, police rushed to the spot and charged batons to disperse them.Some 25 people were injured in the clash with the cops. Shahabuddin Khan, police commissioner of Barishal, said, "A police team rushed to the spot and the attackers threw brick chips targeting the cops, forcing them to retaliate. Three policemen and two Ansar members were injured during the incident.” They also vandalised a bus in the area in the night. Three people who sustained bullet injuries—Shahrier Babu, Harun-or-Rashid and Tanvir-- were taken to Barishal Sher-e-Bangla Medical College and Hospital. Of them, Tanvir was shifted to Dhaka for better treatment. Read: 2 killed, 15 injured in clash between AL and BNP supporters UNO Munibur Rahman said, “Some 15-20 people identifying themselves as Chattra League members entered the house. Later, some 60-70 people also entered the complex and went up to the first floor of the upazila complex building. They also tried to attack me but the Ansar members saved me." Barishal City Corporation Mayor Serniabat Sadiq Abdullah told the media, "The city corporation staffers went there to perform their duties but the Ansar members attacked them.” He has demanded a probe into the clash.