Experts recommend banning unfit vehicles to ensure safe Eid travel

Experts and journalists on Wednesday recommended removing all unfit vehicles from roads and highways to ensure safe and hassle-free travel during the upcoming Eid vacation.

The recommendations came at a discussion session titled “The Mass Media’s Role in Road Safety” held at the Dhaka Ahsania Mission in Shyamoli of Dhaka.

Presenting the keynote paper, Sharmeen Rahman, project coordinator of the Health Sector of Dhaka Ahsania Mission, said road crashes and fatalities during Eid travel have increased alarmingly in 2026 compared to the previous year, exposing weaknesses in the existing transport system.

She warned that the situation could worsen further if effective steps are not taken immediately to make Eid journeys safer.

Dhaka Ahsania Mission recommended controlling vehicle speed on highways, stopping the movement of unfit vehicles, ensuring adequate rest for drivers and operating mobile courts at important points.

Speaking at the discussion, Muhammad Jahangir Alam, general secretary of the Shipping and Communication Reporters Forum and special correspondent of United News of Bangladesh, stressed the need for deploying adequate highway police personnel to reduce road crashes.

He also urged the authorities to ensure that unfit buses are not allowed to leave terminals during Eid.

Senior reporter of The Daily Ittefaq, Jamiul Ahsan Shipu, said long queues at toll plazas and bridges during Eid often create severe traffic congestion. He recommended increasing the number of toll booths during the Eid rush.

Senior reporter of Daily Naya Diganta, Aminul Islam, said loopholes in existing laws often allow offenders to evade punishment. He observed that weaknesses in the Road Transport Act are hindering effective enforcement and preventing a significant reduction in road crashes.

Touhiduzzaman Tanmoy, staff correspondent of JagoNews24.com, said media reports often focus only on road crash incidents while the underlying causes and follow-up investigations receive little attention. He emphasised the importance of comprehensive follow-up reporting on road accidents.

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Moderating the discussion, Shuvra Deb, senior reporter (crime) of Daily Manabzamin, said ensuring road safety requires coordinated efforts from all stakeholders, including the media.

The participants also stressed mandatory use of BSTI-approved helmets, limiting motorcycle passengers to two persons including the rider, preventing reckless lane changing, designating the left lane for motorcycles on highways and strengthening monitoring to stop dangerous overtaking.

They further called for wider public awareness campaigns and urged the government to formulate and strictly enforce a comprehensive Safe System Approach-based Road Safety Law to reduce road fatalities and ensure safer journeys during Eid and throughout the year.