180 vehicles, including 60 BLS ambulances, procured for road safety

The Roads and Highways Department has procured 180 vehicles, including 60 ambulances equipped with basic life support (BLS), 40 motorcycle ambulances and 80 patrol motorcycles for city roads and highways to assist in caring for road crash victims.

The vehicles, purchased under the Bangladesh Road Safety Project, were handed over to relevant stakeholders, including the police, during an inauguration ceremony at the RHD’s headquarters in the capital’s Tejgaon area on Monday.

Road Transport, Railways and Shipping Minister Shaikh Rabiul Alam was present at the programme as the chief guest, while State Minister Habibur Rashid and Health and Family Welfare State Minister Dr MA Muhit attended as special guests.

The project is being jointly implemented by the Roads and Highways Department, Bangladesh Police, Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) and Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).

Each of the ambulances will operate at 10-km intervals along the Joydebpur-Hatikamrul-Bogura-Rangpur, Hatikamrul-Natore-Rajshahi and Joydebpur-Mymensingh national highways.

Speaking on the occasion, the transport minister said a new Safe Roads Act would be enacted by December 2027. 

He said the number of road crashes and crash-related deaths in the country could be halved by 2030 if drivers and pedestrians were made aware, laws were effectively enforced and emergency medical services were ensured.

He said initiatives were also being taken to relocate markets adjacent to highways, construct necessary diversions at intersections with regional roads, and install clear road markings and signage.

Rabiul said, “There are plans to establish dedicated units at hospitals located alongside highways.”

State Minister Habibur said, “Vehicle speed should never bring human lives to a halt. With this objective, arrangements have been made to send ambulances to accident sites as quickly as possible.”

Health and Family Welfare State Minister Dr MA Muhit said an effective ambulance network would be developed on a larger scale in line with the electoral manifesto of the present government.

The project was funded jointly by the Government of Bangladesh and the World Bank.