Missing Road Signs on Dhaka-Sylhet Highway in Brahmanbaria Claim 76 Lives in 70 Accidents within 9 Months

K A M Rashidul Islam, from Brahmanbaria

In the last nine months, 70 accidents on a 34 kilometre stretch of the Dhaka Sylhet Highway in Brahmanbaria have killed 76 people and injured 55. There is no working weighing scale on this part of the highway to check whether vehicles are overloaded.

A visit to different spots along the highway showed heavy vehicles moving all the time. Many drivers overtake anywhere, ignoring the rules. Because many places lack the needed road signs, drivers get no early warning about dangerous curves ahead, markets, educational institutions or no overtaking zones.

Farid Uddin, a bus driver who uses the highway, said many places have no road signs. So drivers cannot tell in advance whether a market, school, college or dangerous curve lies ahead. There are also not enough signals for no overtaking zones and zebra crossings. This raises the risk of accidents.

Mr. Abdul Halim, Officer in Charge of Khatihata Highway Police Station, said the police aim to prevent accidents and ease traffic jams on the highway. He said risky spots are being identified in coordination with the Roads and Highways Department. Steps have been taken to put up signboards in different places to avoid accidents. He added that the police have no working weighing scale in this area. But the police check vehicle papers, and they take action under the rules if they find overloading.

Mr. Faruk Alam, Assistant Director of the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA), said the Roads and Highways Department is responsible for installing road signs. He said the BRTA is working to raise public awareness, including handing out leaflets to students of schools and colleges and to pedestrians. He said drivers alone cannot be blamed for accidents, and the carelessness of citizens is also a major cause. He said a dope test is required to renew a driving licence, and no one’s licence is renewed without it.

Mr. Md. Yunus Ali, Executive Engineer of the Brahmanbaria Roads and Highways Department, admitted that the road signs are missing. He said work is under way to upgrade the Dhaka Sylhet Highway to six lanes. He said he will talk with the project officials about the matter and take effective steps.

Deputy Commissioner Mr. Md. Abu Sayeed said the ongoing development work has created a chaotic situation in some parts of the highway. He said the matter was raised at the law and order committee meeting. He said the concerned officials have been asked to finish the work quickly, repair the risky curves and install road signs.

On installing weighing scales, the Deputy Commissioner said construction is not yet finished at several places along the highway. The scales cannot be installed because work at the planned sites is incomplete.

According to the Roads and Highways Department, at least 25,000 long distance vehicles from 20 districts of the Dhaka, Chattogram, Sylhet and Mymensingh divisions use the Dhaka Sylhet Highway every day. People are demanding quick repair of risky spots, installation of road signs and tighter monitoring to ensure safe travel on the Brahmanbaria stretch of this important highway.