We are shocked at the death of an elderly couple who were killed at the East Sheorapara bus stand on September 14 after being struck by a speeding car. The couple had been waiting on the footpath in the early hours of the morning waiting to catch a CNG when the speeding sedan swerved onto them killing ABM Ataur Rahman on the spot. His wife's clothing got tangled up with the vehicle and she got dragged 15 yards before the car itself smashed into the road divider and she was killed too. This accident is typical of whenever we have an extended holiday and about half the population of Dhaka leave the city. 

Most drivers go on leave and the city streets are practically deserted. Young people take their cars for a spin reaching abnormally high speeds and traffic rules appear to go out the window since traffic police are fewer in number to enforce the rules. What happened in Sheorapara is a classic example of the high-speed crashes we have to witness. While the thrill of speed is undoubtedly refreshing for drivers who are stuck in snarling traffic jams for hours on end during normal times, we really have little in way of words to express the pain that the family of this elderly couple must be going through. 

This is mindless, irresponsible behaviour and just goes to show how low we have sunk as citizens, where we feel no compunctions about driving whilst under the influence of harmful substances. Authorities need to seriously think about more police on the streets during these spells of holidays and these road hoodlums need to face the music for their murderous ways.