A multi-stakeholder workshop with experts and stakeholders from the road and transport sectors was held in Dhaka on 10 April to discuss the draft road transport act. It was chaired by the minister of road transport and bridges.
Road traffic injuries are a leading cause of death globally. According to WHO’s Global status report on road safety 2015, more than 1.2 million people die each year due to road traffic injuries. For Bangladesh, the same report estimates that there were more than 21 thousand deaths in 2012 due to road traffic collisions/accidents.
Bangladesh has been slow to improve road safety legislation and to ensure that road safety laws meet international standards and best practices. The Government has, therefore, initiated a road transport act and WHO is collaborating by providing financial and technical support.