Road crashes remain one of the top causes of death and injury in Bangladesh, imposing a heavy burden on both public health and the national economy.
In response, road safety experts and civil society organisations are intensifying calls for the government to enact a Comprehensive Road Safety Law, aligning national policies with international best practices and the globally recognised safe system approach.
In a newly released policy brief, the Road Safety Coalition Bangladesh pointed out that the current Road Transport Act 2018 is insufficient to address the root causes of road traffic deaths and injuries.
The law, they argue, lacks clear and enforceable provisions addressing key behavioural risk factors such as speeding, drunk driving, non-use of helmets and seatbelts, and the absence of child restraint systems.
“While the 2018 Act focuses on transport regulation, it does not incorporate the Safe System Approach which emphasises shared responsibility among road users, vehicle manufacturers, planners, and enforcement bodies,” the coalition said.
“Furthermore, vulnerable road users—including pedestrians, cyclists, children, and persons with disabilities—are not adequately protected under the existing legal framework.”
A particularly glaring omission, according to the policy brief, is the absence of a post-crash response mechanism, a key pillar recommended in the UN Global Plan for Road Safety. Legal protections such as Good Samaritan laws, which encourage bystanders to help crash victims without fear of legal consequences, are also missing.
Dr Sohel Choudhury, Head of Epidemiology and Research at the National Heart Foundation Hospital and Research Institute, echoed these concerns.
“We’ve been saying for a long time that the 2018 Road Transport Act has several weaknesses,” Dr Choudhury said. “Given the current situation, there is a clear need for a new law. Even if the interim government cannot pass it immediately, they can at least initiate preparatory and policy-level groundwork.”
He further pointed out that while a national policy exists to regulate vehicle speeds, enforcement is virtually nonexistent.
“Motorcycle-related crashes have risen sharply. Though riders are being pushed to wear helmets, the quality and standard of those helmets are not being monitored effectively. Seatbelt usage remains very low, and we haven’t seen any serious government initiative on that front. There’s also minimal action when it comes to tackling drug use among drivers.”
“We urge the government to take strict action on these fronts,” he added. “Additionally, the current state mechanism for compensating victims needs to be made much simpler and more accessible. However, from what I see, this interim government has given relatively little attention to road safety compared to other national issues.”
Bangladesh has committed to halving road traffic deaths and injuries by 2030 as part of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)—specifically Goals 3.6 and 11.2. The National Road Safety Strategic Action Plan 2021-24 also reiterates this commitment. But without stronger legal frameworks, stakeholders say the country is unlikely to achieve its targets.
“There is an urgent need for a robust, inclusive and modern road safety law to replace the patchwork of outdated regulations,” said a spokesperson for the Road Safety Coalition. “We need a law that reflects international best practices and aligns with the UN’s global plan.”
Ilias Kanchan, Chairman of Nirapad Sarak Chai (Nischa), said that there is currently no specific law or regulation on road safety in the country. Therefore, the government should formulate a Comprehensive Road Safety Law, which must be evidence-based and guided by the Safe System Approach.
He said that there is no structural system in place for recording casualties on the roads, nor is there any accurate data on accidents. To present the true picture of road crashes, he urged the government to take the initiative to establish a centralised database.
The proposed Comprehensive Road Safety Law should cover -- integrated transport and land-use planning for safer, multimodal mobility, safe road infrastructure designed for all road users, vehicle safety standards that meet global norms, legal mandates on safe user behaviour—helmet and seatbelt use, speed limits, child restraints, and drunk driving and post-crash response, including Good Samaritan protections and a central system for accurate crash data collection and analysis
Civil society groups are also calling for local governments to have the authority to set speed limits based on local conditions, and for national blood alcohol content (BAC) thresholds to match international safety standards.
The Road Safety Coalition Bangladesh pledged to provide technical and strategic assistance—both from domestic and international experts—to support the formulation of a law that is evidence-based, rights-focused, and globally aligned.
“If Bangladesh is serious about reducing road deaths and injuries, a Comprehensive Road Safety Law is not just desirable—it is essential,” the coalition emphasised.
As road crash fatalities remain high and public outcry grows, experts and civil society groups warn that without meaningful legal reform, Bangladesh risks falling behind in its commitments to global road safety and sustainable development.
