Safer use of roads through enhancing security and enhanced expertise and awareness of professional drivers could reduce accidents to save thousands of human lives, speakers said here on Saturday.
They were addressing a training workshop jointly organized by the district administration and Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) at Town Hall auditorium in the city.
Earlier, a colourful rally participated by 200 professional drivers of buses, trucks, microbuses, tank-lorries, officials, human right activists, leaders of road transport workers and owners associations paraded the streets before taking part in the workshop.
Divisional Commissioner Muhammad Dilwar Bakht attended the workshop styled ‘Enhancing Competence and Awareness of Professional Vehicle Drivers’ as the chief guest with Deputy Commissioner Farid Ahammad in the chair.
Additional Police Super Joynal Abedin, Rajshahi Divisional Deputy Director of BRTA Sirajul Islam and Joint Secretary of District Motor Owner’ Association Azizul Islam Raju addressed the workshop as the special guests.
General Secretary of District Motor Workers’ Association Abdul Mazid and General Secretary of District Truck and Tank-lorry Workers’ Association Shahidul Islam Manik also spoke.
Deputy Director of the Local Government Ershadul Haque, Assistant Director of BRTA ATM Abdul Awal and Senior Medical Officer of Police Hospital Dr Afzal Hossain discussed the mandatory issues for the drivers while driving vehicles.
Senior Assistant Superintendent of Police Humayun Kabir narrated the present road accidents situation in the country and provided training to the participants for enhancing their competency and expertise to reduce road accidents.
The speakers blamed inefficiency of the drivers, faulty vehicles without fitness, road conditions, hat-bazaars on roads, inadequate traffic signals, overlooking roadside signals, using mobile phones while driving, speed breakers, drying paddy, wheat, jute, maize on roads, illegal occupation of roads, lack of awareness among pedestrians and overtaking as the major causes behind road accidents.
They highly appreciated the government initiatives for setting up driving training institutes in all districts to produce skilled drivers through providing training to reduce road accidents and huge losses of lives and physical injuries every year. -BSS, Rangpur
