World Bank and UN join hands with Bangladesh to improve road safety

To continue its robust growth, Bangladesh must take urgent steps to improve road safety, said World Bank Vice President for South Asia Region, Hartwig Schafer, as he concluded a two-day visit to the country with the United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Road Safety, Jean Todt.

The road safety crisis has become a global epidemic comparable to diseases such as Malaria, Tuberculosis or HIV. Globally, about 1.35 million people die every year in road accidents, and more than one-fourth of these fatalities are estimated to happen in South Asia. The road safety situation in Bangladesh is particularly concerning: in the last two decades, increase in the road crash fatality rate per capita was three times higher the average in the South Asia region.

“Apart from enormous human toll, poor road safety can undermine a country’s growth and development,” said Schafer. “But, road accidents are largely preventable and the time to act is now. The World Bank and the United Nations together stand ready to support Bangladesh to improve road safety.”

Many countries around the world have reversed the trend through adopting a safe system approach that includes Safer roads, Safer Vehicles, Safer behavior, Strong governance, and Post-crash health care.

The World Bank was among the first development partners to support Bangladesh following its independence. Since then, the World Bank has committed more than $30 billion in grants, interest-free, and concessional credits to the country.

Original source: World Bank
Published on 24 September 2019