Speed Management and Safe Crossing on Dhaka-Sylhet Highway (N2) in Bangladesh

Awareness, Communit y Involvement
<strong>and</strong> Education Program
ACE Program is the best tools to create safe road user <strong>and</strong> to confirm project sustainability
through creating strong local ownership <strong>and</strong> commitment from local stakeholders. It has been
observed that without community involvement <strong>and</strong> proper training of road user, engineering
intervention did not perform at its best. Hence, with the joint participation <strong>and</strong> contribution
from the expert of home <strong>and</strong> abroad, this comprehensive plan has been prepared <strong>and</strong>
implemented. The key activities will be highlighted in this chapter.
5.1 Road safet y committee
Formation of Road <strong>Safe</strong>ty Committee was one of the major components of the project that
involved local community in all steps of the program. The committees are responsible for
ensuring proper utilization of the project intervention by the road users as well as to provide
overall help in any aspect related to the project.
The committee was consisting of 11 key members of the local community. Chairman of the local
union parishad is chairperson of the committee, where record keepers, other local government
representatives, school teacher, local market committee member, religious leader, member of
local CNG driver association <strong>and</strong> other influential community are also acting as general member.
Routine meeting is ongoing on some prefixed agenda such as updating of project activities,
upcoming activities, responsibilities of the committee members, their behaviour on road,
issues the committee members faced from the community <strong>and</strong> look for solutions etc. Since
formation, 11 meetings in Nilkuthi <strong>and</strong> 10 each in Namapara <strong>and</strong> Kunderpara have been
conducted. However, it will be continued till next October, 2016.
5.2 Warning sticker stitching
To ensure safety of the passengers, pedestrians <strong>and</strong> construction workers, comprehensive
precautionary measures were taken before starting of construction activities that includes
attaching sticker on high speedy buses in larger bus st<strong>and</strong>s at Dhaka <strong>and</strong> central bus st<strong>and</strong> in
Bairab. Sticker was stitched on buses before 7-10 days of starting construction work.
Along with the sticker, letters were issued to the owner of the major bus companies. Sticker
was stitched in two phases. 250 in the first phase <strong>and</strong> 160 in second phase. After completion
of first phase, a short assessment was conducted <strong>and</strong> based on that assessment, second
phase was completed.
5.3 Communicative materials (Leaflet)
To make community people aware on road safety, leaflet with six key pictorial messages
were distributed to the local stakeholders. Proper messages were selected <strong>and</strong> illustrated,
considering the simplicity <strong>and</strong> visiting the project locations. Leaflet were distributed to all
road users from person to person in the project area. For better underst<strong>and</strong>ing, the officials
helped the villagers to make them underst<strong>and</strong> the messages.
Report on <strong>Speed</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Safe</strong> <strong>Crossing</strong> on Dhaka-Sylhet Highway (N2) in Bangladesh 32