BRAC, the leading national NGO and the Government of Denmark entered into an agreement worth Tk. 1.04 crore to increase road safety awareness of people in Bangladesh. Through this project of one year duration, the BRAC Road Safety Awareness Programme seeks to increase road safety awareness of people both at national and community level. The project interventions include creation of road safety animation videos and airing of those on BTV at national level. The people living beside and using Patuakhali Amtoli road leading to Kuakata sea beach will be brought under a comprehensive road safety awareness campaign at the community level.

The agreement was signed at the BRAC Centre in Mohakhali, Dhaka on Thursday April 27th with Mr. Niels Severin Munk, Ambassador, Denmark and Mr. Abdul-Muyeed Chowdhury, Executive Director, BRAC as signatories.

Bangladesh has one of the highest accident fatality rates in road accidents – higher than 125 deaths per ten thousand registered motor vehicles as against the developed countries, where the rate is below 5 deaths for ten thousand vehicles. It is estimated that 10 to 12 thousand people are killed due to road accidents annually. In absence of any highway ambulance service, post accident first aid, trauma management and transportation of victims to hospital and clinics for treatment – deaths due to bleeding are very high after serious injury accidents and few who survive become poorer and often disable for lack of support.

The Government, civil society, NGOs, press and public in general are very concerned about the increasing trend of road accident. Many of the international funding agencies, donor countries and private sector businesses are now coming forward to contribute towards road safety in the country. To address the road safety problem in the country, BRAC has conceptualised an innovative Community Road Safety Programme. The programme mobilizes community living along busy roads, make them aware of road safety and facilitate them to plan, undertake and sustain their local road safety initiatives. Through its programme, BRAC involves the community through motivation, education and self-help resulting in a developed sense of ownership of its own road safety.

Since 1972, BRAC has been working with the twin objectives of poverty alleviation and empowering the poor with a holistic approach. It has made laudable contributions in the field of microfinance, health, education and other sectors including road safety.

© 2005 BRAC Bangladesh
75 Mohakhali
Dhaka 1212, Bangladesh