Working Paper: Bangladesh Road Safety Program 2020-2030 Overview

This working paper provides a comprehensive overview of the Bangladesh Road Safety Program 2020-2030, addressing the critical issue of road traffic accidents in the country. It begins by highlighting the alarming statistics of road accidents, their economic impact, and the distribution of accidents across different road types. The paper then outlines the UN Decade of Action for Road Safety and the government's initiatives to reduce fatalities. It details the National Road Safety Strategic Action Plan (2017-2020) and proposes a phased approach to road safety management, including the formation of a Road Safety Cell, setting standards, establishing an accident information system, and identifying pilot projects. The paper also covers engineering improvements like iRAP assessments, vehicle and user safety measures, enforcement strategies, and post-crash emergency care. Furthermore, it emphasizes the importance of road safety awareness campaigns and the development of a result monitoring and evaluation framework. The paper concludes by stressing the need for research capacity building to enhance road safety efforts in Bangladesh.

Working Paper
on
Bangladesh Road Safety Program 2020-2030
Program Title: Bangladesh Road Safety Program 2020-2030
Introduction:
Road traffic accident is one of the leading causes of deaths and injuries in Bangladesh.
According to the police report almost 2500 road accidents occur every year in Bangladesh
which is responsible for more than 3000 deaths. It costs almost 2 percent of GDP or around
35,000 crores annual loss in the country.
Detailed analysis and findings of accident investigation reveals that the distribution of total
accidents according to road types is national highways 38 percent, 12 percent regional roads,
15 percent feeder roads, and others (including city streets) 35 percent. More importantly, it
has been observed that accident and fatalities per km is far higher in Highways than other
feeder or local roads.
The Government is already taking initiative to address this situation. Bangladesh is working
with various plan and programs to meet the goal to reduce the number of road fatalities 50%
by 2020 as per UN decade of action for road safety and Sustainable Development. However, ,
to meet the targets under the UN decade of Road Safety and SDG, there is a need to launch a
dedicated road safety program to reduce fatalities during road crashes in the country, led by
the Government and to bring all ongoing initiative under a common platform or umbrella.
UN Decade of Action for road safety:
UN Decade of Action for road safety (2010-2020) is comprises of five pillars. They are-
Pillar 1: Road safety management
Pillar 2: Safer roads and mobility
Pillar 3: Safer Vehicles
Pillar 4: Safer Road Users
Pillar 5: Post crash Response
Based on these pillars Government has adopted-
National Road Safety Strategic action Plan (2017-2020):
The Road Safety Action Plan identified the nine priority sector activities for improving road
safety. The nine sectors including the lead Agency(s) can be identified as follows:
I. Planning, Management and Co-ordination of Road safety-DTCA, RHD,BRTA,ARI,
Highway Police, LGED etc.
II. Road Traffic Accident Data System-RTHD
III. Road Safety Engineering-Highway Police, ARI, BRTA
IV. Road and Traffic Legislation- Highway Police, BRTA
V. Traffic Enforcement- Highway Police/Metropolitan Police
VI. Driver Training and Testing-BRTA, BRTC, ARI
VII. Vehicle Safety-BRTA, ARI
VIII. Road Safety Education and Publicity- BRTA, ARI, Ministry of information/primary
education
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IX. Medical Services for Road traffic Accident Victims-Ministry of Health, Fire service and
civil defense, RHD, BRTA, LGED, Highway police
Proposed program Component and Framework:
Phasing and Sequencing
A realistic, phased approach (shown below) should be applied to road safety management. It
needs to acknowledge the time needed to implement interventions in an appropriate
sequence, and the need for sustained, long term efforts. However, it is also crucial to prepare
targeted, short-term action plans that are constantly monitored and evaluated but the time
horizon and planning must ensure commitment for at least ten to twenty years ahead.
The key tasks of the proposed program are outlined below-
1. Regulatory Framework and Institutional Development –
(a) Formation of Road Safety Cell to Empowered Secretariat of NRSC
The National Road Safety Council (NRSC) was established in 1995. Initially with support of
WB funded road improvement project of RHD. The NRSC acts as apex body for approving
and driving forward the national policy and plans. NRSC is responsible for holding periodic
meetings to provide policy level guiding decisions and directives to road safety related
stakeholder organizations.
A separate co-coordinating Agency like Road Safety cell at RTHD , needs to be created or
resourced in the interim period or mid-term basis, with national specialists from RHD,
BRTA, Police, MoH, MoE, BUET, DTCA to ensure effective human capacity building. So
that, these can lead to establish as an Authority/Agency in long term, under the presidency
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and acting as Secretariat to the NRSC, once human capacity is adequate and a funding
mechanism has been established.
(b) Setting standards and capacity building of stakeholders
Road safety International Experts will assess through Training need assessment of different
key stakeholders of this project and Enhancing Capacity of Road safety professionals of
different stakeholders through National and International road safety reputed Institutions.
Moreover, updating of various Road safety standards and guidelines in line with global best
practice also needs to be done. These may not be limited to-
 Road Safety Manual
 Work Zone Safety and land use guideline
 Geometric Design Standard Manual
 Road Safety Audit Manual
 Traffic Signs and Road Marking Manual
 VRU Safety guideline
 Road Safety Book for children
 Highway code
(c) Accident Information system and Data analysis
Establishment of an accident Information system needs to be in place with Road Accident
Database software, which can be a common platform for data sharing among the stakeholders
(mainly RHD, BRTA and ARI).This database is very much needed not only for the
identification of black spot but also for data analysis or research purpose.
Highway police can be equipped with modern laptops with GPS system, so that they can
collect data on spot and can be shared to accident database system through online. Here,
accident information or death with 30 days from hospital also important.
(d) Identification of Pilot projects and Corridor Program-
Through Reviewing of National Road Safety Strategic Action Plan and SDG Action plans,
Pilot projects and Corridor Program needs to be identified for the immediate action for
investment in physical infrastructure development. With the successful completion of pilot
projects and corridor program, those can be roll- out in the whole road network in the long
term investment.
2. Engineering Improvements-
(a) iRAP assessment of Highway network-
A complete star rating program of the whole road network will make easier to identify the
critical areas or corridors to construct road safety countermeasures. Here, it should be
mentioned that with the assistance of ADB, previous assessment on the year 2012 of 1372 km
of highway network through iRAP, identified 300 Km of High Risk Corridor.
Therefore, the scope of the works will cover the whole Highway network of RHD.
Road Length by Classification
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National Highway = 3,544.06 Km
Regional Highway = 4,280.02 Km
Zilla Highway = 13,659.13 Km
Total Road Length = 21,483.21 Km
(b) Investments to enhance safety -
RHD point of view, with the junction improvements, Bazar area improvement, School and
Industrial zone improvement of Vulnerable Road Users (VRUs) safety with appropriate Road
Sign and Marking, the selected corridor should be safe for all classes of road users. LGED
can improve their road junctions, meeting with Highways.
DTCA can also take leading role to coordinate the road safety investment projects that are to
be taken within the Dhaka City.
3. Vehicle and Users –
(A) Establishment of Vehicle Inspection centre (VIC)
Road safety is directly associated with road worthiness (fitness) of motor vehicles. BRTA
established 5(five) VICs at Dhaka(2), Chottogram, Khulna and Rajshahi in 1999. But 4 of
these 5 centers are out of work now. The Mirpur VIC at Dhaka has been refurbished last year
with Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA). BRTA intends to refurbish all the
remaining VICs for inspection of motor vehicles to issue fitness certificates. Besides
Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) has plan to establish 17(seventeen) such
centers in important districts.
(B) Driver Training Center
BRTA has also plan to establish drivers training centers with residence facilities along within
the same campus of VICs mentioned above. The drivers training centers shall all facilities
like driving track, training vehicles, simulators (with vehicles, rollers, software etc.), engine
lab (with different types of engines parts and accessories kept open) along with other
necessary facilities.
4. Enforcement –
Through investigations of the recent accidents on National Highways, it has been observed
that in most cases, 3 wheelers banned vehicles are the main reason of road fatalities and
causalities. Here, strict enforcement is compulsory to protect such illegal mixing with high
speed vehicle, plying on highway. Moreover, illegal parking in road sections (especially
junctions) and over speeding also major concern for the road safety. Strict Enforcement of
Motor Vehicle Laws through Mobile Court can be helpful.
To address this situation a digitized system like the proposed speed camera and emergency
response based enforcement is very timely step to take. A proper co-ordination between
RHD, highway Police, BRTA is also needed.
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5. Post-Crash Emergency Care-
It is evident that, many countries achieve significant (around 40-50 percent) reduction of road
traffic casualties by applying this type of speed enforcement and emergency response system.
According to the Fire Service and Civil Defense, with the concept of “Platinum Time”, road
traffic casualties could be greatly reduced by ensuring emergency rescue and treatment
system (mobile medical van with the logistic support of Directorate General of Health
Services) within 10 minutes after accidents. On the other hand, after any incident, traffic
management also very crucial. Otherwise, it may create congestion or invite more recurrence
accidents.
Any emergency road repair and CCTV or speed camera installation will be ensured through
Roads and Highways Department (RHD). BRTA also involve in vehicle identification and
checking the registration and other standards (like allowed loading, axle configuration etc).
ARI of BUET can support the IT and other technical support of the project. Here, Quick
response to accidents will be vested on Highway police Fire Service and Civil Defense.
6. Road Safety Awareness campaign –
A. Road safety awareness program
a. Drivers, b. students, c. pedestrians/other road user
b. Education through school road safety program
c. Recruiting apolitical celebrity as brand ambassador – some cricket player
and designing a long-term campaign (working with our EXT colleagues)
d. Public participation in the design and implementation process
B. Road safety campaigning
a. Print media,
b. Electronic media (documentary)
c. Road Safety Related Audio, Video/Short Film
C. Road Safety Related Seminar, Workshop and Conference
Result Monitoring and Evaluation Framework:
A comprehensive Result Monitoring and Evaluation framework would be developed for each
phase of the program including for pilot demonstration corridors.
Research Capacity Building
The program would also include targeted interventions to enhance capacity of universities in
Bangladesh in Road Safety Research.
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