National Safe Road Day observed in Barlekha in joint initiative of NISCHA and upazila administration
Barlekha correspondent: National Safe Road Day has been observed in Barlekha, Moulvibazar, under the theme 'Safe roads, prosperous country — Bangladesh first'. The day was observed on Thursday (22 October) in a joint initiative of the Upazila Administration and the Barlekha Upazila branch of Nirapad Sarak Chai (NISCHA — 'We Demand Safe Road'), a national social-volunteer organisation.
On the occasion, a colourful rally and a discussion meeting were held at 11:30am. NISCHA leaders and activists, transport workers' leaders and people from various walks of life took part in the rally.
The discussion meeting, held at the Upazila Parishad auditorium, was presided over by Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Mahbubu Alam Mahbub and conducted by Ainul Islam, general secretary of NISCHA's Barlekha Upazila branch. NISCHA senior vice-president Marjanul Islam delivered the welcome address.
Among those who spoke were former Upazila Parishad vice-chairman Emadul Islam, Press Club general secretary Abdur Rab, Poura BNP president Saiful Islam Khokon, Barlekha Government College lecturer AKM Shafiul Alam, NISCHA adviser Sultan Ahmad Khalil, president Tahmid Ishad Ripon, vice-president Golam Kibria, joint general secretary Halimatun Sadia Lily, Redwan Ahmad, organising secretary Jamir Uddin, Bus-Minibus Workers' Union president Saiful Islam and general secretary Jalal Uddin, and Upazila Road Transport Workers' Union president Abdul Ahid and general secretary Iqbal Hossain.
Speakers said popular film actor Ilias Kanchan turned his grief at losing his beloved wife Jahanara Kanchan in a road accident into strength and built the Nirapad Sarak Chai social movement. A road accident is not mere fate, they said; it is a man-made disaster. The 'Nirapad Sarak Chai' social movement began on 1 December 1993 to protect people from this disaster.
They further said NISCHA's activities are not directed against anyone; it is a social movement. The organisation is working to establish safe roads together with people from all sections of society, and its leaders and activists are pledged to make Bangladesh free of road accidents with everyone's cooperation.
At the meeting, the UNO highly praised NISCHA's work on road discipline, congestion relief and awareness during Durga Puja. He also expressed hope that NISCHA leaders would be included in the monthly meetings of the road safety committee and the law-and-order committee to prevent road accidents and restore discipline on the roads.
Meanwhile, a rally gathering was held at 12 noon, presided over by Golam Kibria, convener of NISCHA Barlekha Upazila branch's National Safe Road Day celebration committee, and conducted by its member-secretary Jamir Uddin.
National Safe Road Day is observed across the country every year on 22 October with various programmes. In Barlekha this year, the day was marked with a rally, a gathering and a discussion meeting in the joint arrangement of the upazila administration and NISCHA.
