DANGEROUS DRIVERS * Bangladesh - Senseless contests by reckless buses put passengers' lives at risk

Road safety is a concept that seems to be of little value to the city bus drivers as it appears that their main concern is to get ahead of other buses by any means

Dhaka,Bangladesh -The Daily Star, by Rizanuzzaman Laskar -28 Oct 2007: -- Buses racing with each other to get hold of passengers is a commonplace scene near the Shahbagh bus stoppage... Caught in the middle of this senseless competition are the commuters and pedestrians, who often fall victim to the reckless driving of the bus drivers... Most of these accidents -- minor or major -- go unnoticed and unreported every day as the city lacks a reliable, efficient and hassle-free mechanism that would encourage all to report such accidents and at the same time the authorities would ensure prosecution of the drivers involved... Only to make a quick buck, the transport workers have been showing imprudence and sheer disregard for public safety by speeding through the streets to complete a trip or cramming passengers into buses, well above the capacity, by blocking the traffic, said many commuters... (Photo: STAR - Buses racing with each other to get hold of passengers is a commonplace scene near the Shahbagh bus stoppage)