Drivers violate speed limit on Sirajganj highway blatantly

Drivers violating speed limit on Sirajganj highway have been getting away without punishment, as there are no traffic police personnel in the west of Bangabandhu Bridge.

The authorities did, however, installed speed measuring device – after scores of post-Eid deaths along the western link of the bridge – in the area to prevent vehicles from accelerating beyond the permissible limit.

The bridge authority’s Assistant Security Manager Rafiqul Islam on Saturday said lodging cases against the violators was not possible due to the absence of traffic police personnel on Friday and Saturday.

But drivers were warned, he said.

“The drivers become careful after learning about the speed measuring device. It reduced the accident.”

He said 25 cases were filed against as many vehicles on the first two days from Wednesday after the device was installed.

Among them were 23 buses and two private cars.

Islam said the authority also warned several human haulers including Votvoti, autorickshaw and easy-bike.

Meanwhile, the bridge’s authority began survey work to put up road divider on the 18-kilometre highway from the west side of the bridge to Nalka.

Bridge supervising company’s Executive Engineer Abul Kalam Azad said they sketched out the road dividers at four places on the highway after identifying accident-prone area.

He said they would soon finalise the design and send it to the ministry.

At least 30 people died in mishaps on the highway in the six days around Eid.

Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader visited the scene on last Tuesday and pledged construction of road dividers in the accident-prone stretch of the highway.