Dhaka: The ‘National Safe Roads Day is being observed countrywide for the first time on Sunday aiming to create awareness on road safety among the people.

The slogan of the day is – ‘We’ll drive cautiously to return home safely.’

President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina issued separate messages on the eve of the day.

In his message, the President said although the government has taken several initiatives to ensure road safety, many people have been losing their lives in road accidents regularly due to several irregularities, including unskilled drivers, overtaking tendency and violation of traffic rules.

Abdul Hamid also expressed a hope that all concerned including drivers, vehicle owners, pedestrians, law enforcers will play vital role to ensure road safety.

In her message, the Prime Minister said the government has constructed many new roads and highways, bridges, culverts, flyovers, overpasses and upgraded many highways to four-lane as part of building sustainable, safe and quality road infrastructure and integrated modern public transport system.

Bangladesh is committed to reduce the number of killed and injured in road accidents to half within 2020 in order to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and United Nations Decade of Action for Road Safety 2011-2020, Sheikh Hasina added.

The initiative to observe the day will create huge awareness among the people, she said.

The government has approved on June 5, a proposal to declare October 22 as National Safe Roads Day.