CHITTAGONG, July 29 (CTG MAIL  )

July 2025 marks seven years since the Safe Roads Movement (NisA) emerged from the outrage of students across Bangladesh, sparked by the tragic deaths of two school children on Dhaka’s chaotic streets. What began as a protest against a specific accident quickly turned into a massive outcry against systemic failure. The movement, led by students, transcended the immediate issue to confront deeper structural problems in transport governance, accountability, and road safety.

Seven years on, the question arises again:
Are we truly safe now?
Have we forgotten the purpose behind that movement?
Has anything actually changed in our transport system?

From Movement to Mass Consciousness

The Safe Roads Movement (NisA) was born not from politics, but from pain. It captured the conscience of a generation—demanding proper licensing, enforcement of traffic rules, and student safety. Over time, NisA evolved into a broader platform for civic awareness, now seen as a symbol of youth-led accountability. A generation grew up believing:

“Safe roads are our right, not a privilege.”

Persistent Challenges and Structural Barriers

Despite laws being enacted and awareness campaigns run, the ground reality remains grim. Every day, lives are lost to accidents. Passengers face harassment. Drivers remain untrained or unlicensed. And the roads, still, are not safe.

Key concerns include:

• Lack of enforcement of the Road Transport Act due to pressure from politically-backed transport lobbies.

• Rampant corruption and extortion, including illegal toll collection, unfit vehicles being cleared via bribes, and chaotic route management.

• Fragmentation among civil society organisations, leading to weakened advocacy and inconsistent momentum.

A United Call for Change

As a citizen and student representative, I, Mostansirul Hoque Chowdhury, echo the concerns long raised by groups like the Bangladesh Passengers’ Welfare Association, which has consistently campaigned against road hazards and for commuter rights.

If platforms like NisA and commuter rights organisations can unite in shared purpose, I believe we can truly change the face of Bangladesh’s transport sector.

We must not accept that our roads remain death traps, nor that commuting should come with fear.
As a civilised society, we must reject daily death tolls, injuries, and shattered families as ‘normal’.

This is why our organisation fights—so that one day we can declare:

“Every life on the road is safe. Every journey is free from fear.”

But to make that slogan a reality, we need more than hope—we need work, courage, and collective struggle.

What Comes Next: A Way Forward

To take this vision forward, I propose the following national and local actions:

1. Form a National Safe Roads Council, including NisA, transport engineers, civil society, government, and passenger welfare organisations.

2. Establish Local Monitoring Cells across districts and cities to track road safety, report on accidents, and pressure authorities for transparency.

3. Publish Data-Driven Research, identifying the root causes of road crashes and policy failure.

4. Introduce Smart Tech Solutions, including digital ticketing, GPS tracking, CCTV on highways, and AI-driven traffic signals.

Final Thoughts

Seven years since NisA’s birth, the journey is far from over. Building a transport system that is safe, just, and humane remains our biggest challenge.

The youth proved once that a state can be held accountable. That same spirit must now drive the second chapter of this movement.

Let us—citizens, students, commuters—stand united in one voice:

“No more deaths on the road. We demand safe roads and a humane transport system.”
“NisA is not just history—it is a promise to the future.”

About the Author
Mostansirul Hoque Chowdhury
Concerned Citizen and Student
✉️ mostansirolhoque@gmail.com