The National Road Safety Day will be observed in the country tomorrow (Oct 22) in a befitting manner.

This year's theme of the day is 'Ain Meney Sorokey Choli, Nirapodey Ghorey Phiri (Let us follow the law on road and return home safely).

President M Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today issued separate messages on the eve of the National Road Safety Day.

The President, in his message, said the number of vehicles on streets is rapidly increasing with the increase of developed road infrastructure in Bangladesh.

Road accidents and loss of life and property happen due to various reasons including competition of drivers, reckless overtaking, inefficiency in driving, overloading, lack of adequate rest for drivers, not obeying traffic laws by pedestrian and social unawareness, he added.

The President underscored the need for acquiring knowledge of the relevant laws and regulations in ensuring road safety.

He urged all including transport owners, workers, passengers and pedestrians to know traffic rules and follow those.

In her message, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said the Greatest Bangalee of All Time, Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman took different programmes and plans to build a modern road transport system in the war-ravaged Bangladesh.

Within the year of 1974, he rebuilt all the bridges destroyed during the Liberation War and made those usable, she said.

Besides, Bangabandhu built several new bridges along with the construction of new roads, she said, adding that during his visit to Japan in October 1973, he proposed the construction of a bridge over the Jamuna River to the Japanese government.

Following the footsteps of the Father of the Nation, the government made 15,128 kilometers (km) paved roads (Paka Sarak) in five years after the formation of the government in 1996, the premier said.

A total of 37,171 km roads were turned into 'Herringbone bond' shape, she added.

Moreover, about 6,526 km paved roads and 10,865 km rural roads were made under the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED), she said, adding that the government also constructed about 19,000 large, medium, small bridges and culverts.

BDST: 1731 HRS, OCT 21, 2022
MN