In a major push to curb rising road fatalities, the government has taken initiatives to strengthen road safety management in the country by uniting four key agencies under a coordinated platform.
The initiatives is being implemented under World Bank-funded five-year Bangladesh Road Safety Project (BRSP).
Launched in May 2023 with an outlay of US$208 million, the project aims to reduce road crashes, improve post-crash care, and modernize traffic enforcement. Officials hope it will not only save thousands of lives annually but also reduce the heavy burden on healthcare and boost economic resilience.
Transport economists estimate road crashes cost Bangladesh about 3 percent of GDP each year. According to BRTA, 5,856 crashes killed 5,840 people in 2024, up from 5,024 deaths in 2023. In just the first half of 2025, at least 2,943 road fatalities have already been recorded.
However, Bangladesh has pledged to cut down road fatalities to 50 percent by 2030 in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
“This is the first time in our country that the Roads and Highways Department (RHD), BRTA, Bangladesh Police, and the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) are working together under one umbrella to reduce highway accidents and strengthen post-crash response,” Project Director Mohammad Shabbir Hasan Khan told BSS.
“Our ultimate goal is not only to reduce crashes but also to create a Safe System Approach – safe road users, safe vehicles, safe speeds, safe roads, and post-crash care – where prevention, enforcement, and response work in harmony,” said Hasan, also additional chief engineer at the RHD, which is leading the project and will coordinate the implementation until June 2028.বিস্তারিত