10,000 die in road accidents a year
Staff Correspondent
Around 10,000 people die in road accidents every year in the country, said the speakers at a seminar yesterday. They feared that the number might increase up to 20,000 by 2010 if the present trend continues. The speakers said professional weaknesses and lack of trained traffic police for effective enforcement of traffic rules are mainly responsible for accidents. They also highlighted the health, social and economic aspects of road accidents. The seminar on 'Road accidents and emergency measures' was organised by Franco-Bangladesh Association of Scholars and Trainees (FBAST) at LGED Bhaban in the city. Science and ICT Minister Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan attended the seminar as chief guest and Ambassador of France to Bangladesh Jacques-Andre Costilhes as special guest. Dr Moyeen Khan said road safety demands public awareness and respect for traffic rules. He said trauma centres should be set up at different points to provide immediate treatment after the accident. While presenting the keynote paper, Prof Mazharul Hoque, director of the Accident Research Centre, said there is awareness about the road safety problem, but the knowledge and technique to tackle the problem are absent. Presided over by ASM Alamgir Kabir, president of FBAST, the seminar was participated by Dr Firoz Kader, associate professor of Dhaka Medical College, Jalal Ahmed Khan, news editor of daily Al Azan, Dr AKM Momin, director of the CRP, and Aftab Ali, manager of the National Road Safety Council.
| 
