ঢাকারবিবার , ৯ অগাস্ট ২০২৬
To keep the roads of Chattogram safe, Dr. Shahadat Hossain, Mayor of Chattogram City Corporation (CCC), has urged city residents to drive within safe speed limits. He made this call in a statement issued today, October 22, marking National Road Safety Day 2025.
In his message, the Mayor said that the government has set this year’s theme for National Road Safety Day as “Quality helmets and safe speed: Reducing loss of lives and property.” The theme is highly relevant in the context of our city. According to a recent survey conducted by Johns Hopkins International Injury Research Unit (JHIIRU), 44% of vehicles in Chattogram do not comply with the speed limits set by BRTA. On local and collector roads, 45% of vehicles exceed the speed limit, with violations more frequent on weekends. Among all types of vehicles, motorcycles show the highest rate of speeding (70%). Moreover, the use of quality helmets among motorcyclists remains low. Excessive speed and substandard helmets are increasing the risk of death and property damage among motorcycle users.
The Mayor further stated that the city’s roads are used by various types of vehicles traveling at different speeds, along with pedestrians. Therefore, maintaining a safe speed and using helmets are essential to reduce the risk of road crashes. The higher the speed, the greater the risk of road crashes and fatalities. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), reducing average vehicle speed by 5% can decrease the risk of road crashes by 30%. The faster a vehicle moves, the longer it takes to stop. For example, a car moving at 50 km/h needs about 14 meters to come to a complete stop. Thus, the lower the speed, the easier it is for the driver to maintain control of the vehicle based on road conditions.
The statement further mentioned that the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA), under its Motor Vehicles Speed Limit Guidelines 2024, has defined maximum speed limits for urban roads. According to the guideline, on city roads that are at least six-lane divided with footpaths and pedestrian crossings cars, microbuses, jeeps, and similar light vehicles, as well as buses and minibuses, may travel up to 40 km/h, trucks, mini-trucks, covered vans, and motorcycles may travel up to 30 km/h. On undivided or two-lane roads, light vehicles may travel up to 40 km/h, while motorcycles may travel up to 30 km/h.
On narrow or other types of roads, the maximum speed limit is 30 km/h for motor vehicles and 20 km/h for motorcycles.
The Mayor, therefore, urged all city drivers to follow these prescribed speed limits to help build a safer Chattogram. He also mentioned that CCC, in partnership with the Bloomberg Philanthropies Initiative for Global Road Safety (BIGRS), is implementing various road safety initiatives. In coordination with Chattogram Metropolitan Police (CMP) and Vital Strategies, CCC is identifying high-risk roads and intersections. With technical support from the World Resources Institute (WRI), safety designs are being developed for these areas.
Additionally, CCC is conducting police training sessions in collaboration with CMP and the Global Road Safety Partnership (GRSP) to strengthen enforcement of road safety laws. Behavioral studies on road users are being conducted in coordination with Johns Hopkins International Injury Research Unit (JH-IIRU) and the Centre for Injury Prevention and Research, Bangladesh (CIPRB). Moreover, CCC, with support from Vital Strategies, is organizing media trainings for journalists and awareness campaigns on road safety. A public awareness campaign is also being implemented to educate residents about the Speed Limit Guidelines 2024.
Finally, the Mayor called upon city residents to use the roads responsibly. He urged pedestrians to use footpaths and cross the road at designated points, motorcyclists to follow speed limits and wear quality helmets, and drivers of cars, buses, and other motor vehicles to obey traffic laws and city speed limits for safer roads in Chattogram.
