VisionSpring brings stakeholders together to advance clear vision for safer roads
Policymakers, transport leaders and road safety advocates have called for institutionalizing regular vision screenings for professional drivers, emphasizing that uncorrected eyesight remains a critical yet preventable risk factor behind road crashes in the country.
The call was made at a stakeholder consultation held at a hotel in the capital on Thursday (29 October) to mark National Road Safety Day 2026. Global social enterprise VisionSpring organized the event under its flagship initiative, “See to Be Safe.”
Addressing the event as chief guest, State Minister for the Road Transport and Highways Division and the Ministry of Railways, Habibur Rashid Habib, MP, said road safety cannot be achieved through better infrastructure and traffic management alone without prioritizing the physical health and eyesight of drivers.
“When a driver takes the wheel, the lives of hundreds of passengers depend on them. Ensuring that a driver has clear vision is not just about aiding an individual; it is about safeguarding countless lives,” the state minister said.
"Vision screening and regular healthcare should be ensured for drivers, particularly during the issuance and renewal of driving licences. At the same time, compliance with traffic laws, improved driving skills, and adequate rest for drivers must be prioritized. Building safer roads requires collective efforts from the government, transport owners’ and workers’ organizations, and partner institutions,” he said.
Presenting key insights, Misha Mahjabeen, Managing Director of VisionSpring Bangladesh, highlighted that over 20 million people in Bangladesh suffer from vision impairments due to a lack of access to eyeglasses, with commercial drivers constituting a significant portion of this demographic.
“Poor vision is a major contributing factor to road crashes. Regular screenings and providing drivers with corrective eyeglasses must be prioritized to make our highways safer,” she said, adding that VisionSpring has provided reading glasses to five million people in Bangladesh since 2006.
Under its two-year “See to Be Safe” campaign, VisionSpring aims to screen 50,000 bus and truck drivers and distribute 30,000 pairs of corrective eyeglasses. By September 2026, the organization had already screened over 30,000 transport workers across the country, providing eyeglasses to more than 24,000 individuals requiring vision correction.
The event featured a panel discussion titled “Promoting Road Safety Through Better Vision,” which brought together key regulators and industry leaders.
Among the discussants and special guests were Road Transport and Highways Division Secretary Dr. Mohammed Ziaul Haque; Bangladesh Road Transport Owners–Workers Coordination Council Chief Coordinator Advocate Shamsur Rahman Shimul Biswas, MP; Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) Chairman Mohammad Habibur Rahman; Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation (BRTC) Chairman Mir Ahmed Tarikul Omar; Dhaka Transport Coordination Authority (DTCA) Executive Director Mohammad Mashiur Rahman; Bangladesh Road Transport Owners Association Secretary General Md. Saiful Alam and Bangladesh Road Transport Workers Federation General Secretary Md. Humayun Kabir Khan.
Speakers at the session agreed to strengthen collaboration between the government, transport owners, and labor unions to integrate comprehensive eye-care services into national road safety frameworks.