Dhaka: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday expressed grave concern over frequent fatal road accidents because of lack of knowledge about traffic rules among citizens, asking for massive campaign on the issue particularly in mass media and among students in educational institutions, reported BSS.

Most of the fatal traffic accidents particularly in cities are occurred in lack of awareness of the people and in some cases violation of traffic rules. Many of those accidents is followed by unwarranted public wrath on drivers and transport, which makes a driver more scare of mass beating and persuade him to drive more quickly to leave the scene, she said.

‘So everybody should know about traffic rules and properly follow those’,she said asking the metropolitan police and mass media particularly visual media to go with campaign to make people aware of traffic rules.

The Prime Minister said this while inaugurating first phase of the 8.70 kilometre Moghbazar-Mouchak Flyover for traffic.

The Prime Minister also stressed the need for strong public sector transport system side by side with private ones to check dominance of the private sector.

‘The government has attached importance on strengthening Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation (BRTC) and Bangladesh Railway (BR) to put in place a vibrant public sector transport system in the country,’ she said.

LGRD and Cooperatives Minister Engineer Khandakar Mosharraf Hossain presided over the function held at Dhaka Officers’ Club. Saudi ambassador to Bangladesh Abdullah H. M. Al-Mutairi and Secretary of Local Government Division Abdul Malek also spoke on the occasion.

Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan, Civil Aviation Minister Rashed Khan Menon, chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on LGRD Ministry Abul Hasnat Abdullah, mayors of Dhaka North and South City Corporations Anisul Haque and Sayeed Khokan were present.

Shyama Prasad Adhikari, Chief Engineer of Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) gave a presentation on different aspects of the project, which he said was implemented as part of Dhaka Strategic Transport Plan (STP).

SIMPLEX-Navana joint venture company has constructed the 2.1 km long first phase of the flyover stretching from Satrasta of Tejgaon area to Holy Family Hospital.

Other two phases- one from Bangla Motor to Mouchak and other from Shantinagar to Rampura connecting Razarbag and Malibag would be completed by June next year.

The single-pier flyover on 1222 piles will have two and four lanes, three level crossing, eight intersections, 15 ramps, 544 pre-stressed guarder and 1995 box-guarders, he said.

Local Government Division is implementing the flyover project with GOB and Saudi Development (SFD) Fund at a cost of about Taka 1218.90crore. The cost of the first phase was Tk280 crore.

The flyover will make easy road communication between northern and southern parts of Dhaka City increasing the capacity of traffic in different intersections particularly at FDC point, Mogbazar, Mouchak, Malibag and Shantinagar.

Considering the benefit of the commuters the government has decided to open the first phase of the flyover for traffic despite the total work of the project is set to complete in June next year.