PM Hasina urges everyone to be sensible to avert road accidents
Prime minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday called upon all including the drivers and pedestrians to be responsible in using the roads to avoid accidents while opening a number of development projects.
“Everyone should be sensible to use the roads to avoid accidents,” she said.
The PM opened 1.2-km Bhulta flyover on Dhaka-Sylhet highway, Patia bypass road, Satkhira town bypass road, Aldi Bazar bridge, Banar bridge on Mymensingh-Gafargaon-Toak district highway and replacement of 13 bridges with permanent construction through a video conferencing at her official residence Ganobhaban in Dhaka.
The prime minister said, “It will not be wise to hold only drivers responsible for road accidents. Everyone including the drivers and road users should be conscious while driving vehicles and crossing the streets.”
Referring to the law regarding road safety enacted by her government, she said that everyone should follow the traffic rules and regulations.
The PM stressed the need for introducing education on traffic rules and regulations at school levels and said, “Students should know which sides of the roads will have to be taken to move.”
Road transport and bridges minister Obaidul Quader spoke on the occasion while PM’s principal secretary Md Nojibur Rahman moderated the function.
Road transport and highway division secretary Nazrul Islam delivered a brief presentation on the development projects on the occasion.
The prime minister exchanged views with local lawmakers, administrative officers and distinguished personalities of Munshiganj, Narayanganj, Satkhira, Chattogram and Mymensing districts through the video conferencing at the function.
Sheikh Hasina also urged the drivers not to get engaged in unhealthy competition while driving vehicles to avoid road accidents as many families can fall in trouble due to road crash which is not expected.
The premier stressed the need for proper maintenance of various infrastructures of the Road Transport and Highways Division.
“We are developing the communication system in such a way that people can go easily from one place to another,” she said.
“Dynamism has been infused in development as the Awami League government is in power for the third consecutive term since 2009,” she said.
Criticising BNP for doing nothing for the people’s welfare rather creating an elite group, the premier said that the Awami League has been doing everything for their betterment.
“The government has taken massive development programmes for the communication system as it is vital for socio-economic emancipation of the people,” she added.
The projects are the newly constructed Bhulta four-lane flyover on Dhaka -Sylhet highway, 283-metre long PC Guarder Bridge on the Banar river at the 72nd kilometre on Mymensingh-Gafargaon-Tok road; Patia bypass road on Dhaka-Chattogram-Coxsbazar National Highway and Shatkhsira Town bypass road including Bhomra Landport connecting road as well as replacement of 13 risky bridges by permanent concrete structures.
Bhulta flyover has a total length of 1.85 kilometres, including 1.2 kilometers on Dhaka-Sylhet highway and 611 meters on Dhaka-bypass highway.
Road Transport and Highways Division implemented the project at a cost of Taka 3.3882 billion.
Besides, Patia bypass road was constructed at a cost of Tk 877 million, and 283-metre Mymensingh-Gafargaon-Tok PC Garder Bridge was built at a cost of Tk 387.8 million, while 13 concrete bridges were constructed under Mushiganj district at a cost of Tk 886.2 million.