We need a change

Shahin Siddiqui, Mirpur, Dhaka
There was a massive train-truck collision on 17 February 2009 that left 13 people dead and many more injured. The reason being a truck got stuck-up while trying to cross the unprotected level crossing. The High Court has given an ad interim order to the authorities concerned to submit the list of the unprotected level crossings across the country. There are numerous unprotected and unmanned crossings, especially in the rural areas. The LGRD has constructed hundreds of km of roads across the country. Have they coordinated with the railway authorities about the crossings? What about the road accidents taking place in the highways? Is it the fault of the drivers only? What about the launches that capsize regularly in the Kirtonkhola River? Even if the railway department provides the list what will be the ultimate solution? Is it possible for them to provide adequate traffic systems at all the crossings? Well, the railway department is also at fault by allowing the passengers to sit in the locomotive's engine. We must enforce the laws against them. Take the cases of myriad under-passes and over-passes in the capital for the pedestrians. Still they are crossing the busy roads! That reminds me of our parliamentarians who vehemently opposed the ratification of the ordinance that the last caretaker government made, scrapping the free import of luxury cars. Parliamentarians of the eighth parliament deprived the NBR of taxes to the tune of Tk 280 crore. Can't we use this amount in developing the conscience of the people so that they follow the rules? It's time to change.