Seat belts
More than a year ago, the former Finance Minister M Saifur Rahman died in a car crash while returning to Dhaka from Sylhet. Investigation revealed that Mr. Saifur Rahman succumbed to his death as the car plunged into the water, and that he could not get out of the car despite his desperate attempts, because of the fastened seat belt. It can be concluded that Mr. Saifur Rahman was killed in the car crash because he was restricted by the seat belt.
Seat belts are meant to save lives, and they actually do in western countries, when there is a compact collision while driving at a speed of more than 70 miles per hour. In Bangladesh, one can gain such a speed only on the Jamuna Bridge, but then by the time one gains such a speed he is on the other end of the bridge. So, a compact collision is not common here. Moreover, most of the accident victims are pedestrians and the people who travel by motorbikes, rickshaws, bicycles, etc., and not the vehicle drivers.
So, what is the point of mandatory use of seat belts in Bangladesh?
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