Improving Road Safety
in the OIC Member States
90
programmes according to local needs. There is an Executive Committee headed by the chairman
of BRTA to co-ordinate NGOs on road safety issues. Initially significant impact was made by the
DRSCs, particularly in the awareness development at local level (Sohel Mahmud, 2013). Due to
lack of co-ordination, integration between local and central committees and internal
communication among the members of the committees, as well as shortage of resources, DRSCs
have lost some of their impact. Recently, initiatives have been undertaken to make DRSCs active
and functional again.
Accident Research Institute
An independent Accident Research Centre (ARC) was established at Bangladesh University of
Engineering and Technology (BUET) in 2002 to carry out scientific research for clear
understanding of the road safety problems and ascertaining the underlying causative factors,
which contribute to accidents on roads, railways and waterways. In 2007 ARC was renamed the
Accident Research Institute (ARI), under the Ministry of Education at BUET.
ARI is carrying out activities in road safety research, education, investigation (data analysis,
black spot analysis, investigation of major accidents, etc.) and training and awareness
programmes (organisation of events, platform for sharing best practices, development of
networks, etc.). ARI is expected to play major role in developing pragmatic, cost-effective
scientific solutions and bring about significant improvements in the capability of the
professionals and workers in the field of transportation to a meaningful level of expertise for
accident prevention and injury control and thereby contributing to the safer road environment
for all users and operators. For drivers and driving instructors ARI has prepared a “Safe Driving
Manual” which is written in the native language (Bengali) so that users can easily understand it.
In addition, two manuals for rural road safety, namely “Rural Road Safety Manual (RRSM) and
“Road Safety Training Manual (RSTM)” have also been prepared by ARI as part of a World Bank
funded project. ARI has conducted many training courses for engineers, police and other
professionals on road safety. Moreover, a considerable number of scientific accident
investigations have been carried out by ARI.
ARI is now conducting a study on a program titled “Strategic Accident Reduction Programme
(SARP)” to select data dictated facts and required safety measures for accident mitigation which
is now in very final stage and will be published soon. ARI has one director and seven staff
members, which makes ARI understaffed for the large task they are facing. Besides, ARI is now
badly in need for some research tools like a driving simulator and crash reconstruction software.
Within these capacity limitations, ARI is providing important services towards improving road
safety in Bangladesh.
Road Safety units at Road and Highway Department (RHD) and Local Government Engineering
Department (LGED)
In January 1999 RHD established a Road Safety Division to deal with the safety aspects of
national, regional and feeder roads. There is a severe lack in man-power, vehicles and facilities
at the Road Safety Division. LGED has created a Road Safety Cell.