Over 200 crash-prone spots on highways

There are over 200 accident-prone spots on highways across the country, Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader told parliament yesterday.

Quoting first information reports of police, he said 2,067 people were killed and 1,535 others injured in 2,027 road accidents in 2014.

Some 209 accident-prone locations of highways were identified as "black spots" by the Accident Research Institute of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (Buet) while another 18 spots by the Roads and Highways Department, he said replying to a lawmaker's question.

The RHD has taken measures on 27 accident-prone spots of the highways and 56 more spots have been brought under various projects to reduce road accidents, he said.

Ecnec has approved a project titled "Improvement of Road Safety at Black Spots in National Highways" involving Tk 165 crore to reduce accidents on the remaining 144 black spots, the minister added.

BSS adds: the country's road transport sector has counted a financial loss of about Tk 70 crore till February 3 due to blockade and hartals enforced by the BNP-led 20-party alliance, resulting in torching of 325 and vandalising of 500 vehicles , Quader told parliament yesterday.

He said state-run BRTC incurred a loss of Tk 16.45 crore.